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Eight Leadership Lessons from Steve Ballmer
No one will forget the work of Steve Ballmer at Microsoft: he left the board of directors of the company to focus its energies on the possession of the basketball club LA Clippers. Let's examine the experience of the colorful ex-CEO and try to benefit from it some important lessons.
Translated into Alconost Translations i>
Although Steve Ballmer покинул top management of Microsoft , forgotten he definitely will not. I carefully watched Ballmer as he ran Microsoft, and taught me a lot as his successes and his failures.
We often look at the успешных CEO like Steve Jobs or Jack Welch, consider them geniuses and imitate them in everything. So we borrowed from the Welch method of forced ranking, was one of the main reasons that Microsoft began to lose its position (approx. An interpreter: a question of practice, all employees of the division into five categories from the highest to the lowest, when 10% or 5% employees necessarily fall into the category with the lowest rating. In Microsoft rating served as the basis for promotion and bonuses. Employees of lower rank, usually eventually dismissed, or they left themselves) i>.
Learn from the mistakes of others is often more important than someone else's success, because it saves you from repeating someone else's painful experience. Well, let's talk about the things that I realized that because of Ballmer and revive my advice to future top managers.
transforms completely or not at all transformed by h4> Remember the infamous video "Boy-monkey» , skim Ballmer on motivational meeting with Microsoft employees before he took over the company? At this meeting, Ballmer told them to focus on the "developers, developers, developers!»
Be concise h4> The thing that can be stated in one sentence, many require hundreds of words. But Ballmer is not such: he spoke three words that others can not. This conciseness allowed him to reach out to more people.
Appreciate the numbers h4> Bulmer was a man of numbers. In today's world, where the analyst is becoming increasingly important, the figures are much more valuable than in the days when Ballmer began to manage Microsoft. Figures force you to pay attention to measurable indicators, to seek reliable information and to keep a critical eye on the important things.
Choose not competent and loyal h4> This is one of the mistakes made Ballmer, but I do not suggest you choose incompetent people. I have in mind: those who can demonstrate loyalty and team work should be valued more than competent people, but selfish, not configured for productive teamwork.
verify information h4> Sometimes the focus on figures emerged Ballmer sideways - and all because he often got distorted information that had to push him to make certain decisions or just give him the answer he wanted to hear. Figuratively speaking, the "garbage in - garbage out": much of what Ballmer said was inaccurate, and this inaccuracy led to the adoption of disastrous decisions.
Do not cut yourself off from the outside world h4> Before becoming CEO, to get an idea of the situation Ballmer contacted as people from Microsoft, as well as with people outside. But, getting a leadership position, he allowed to surround yourself with people who clearly wanted more control over its activities. I know what happened to the sole CEO, ever fired from IBM, - with John Akers .
me company for yourself h4> Let the last moment, but Ballmer realized this. Until финальной reorganization Microsoft Ballmer, in general, the management company of Bill Gates, while not having a unique set of skills of Gates. On the other hand, Jobs has transformed Apple into the company, which he could control (и his successor Tim Cook is now doing the same thing ).
Enjoy your business h4> The last time I saw a smiling Ballmer shortly after the announcement of its agreement to join the post. He grinned, saying goodbye, from the window of his limousine.
Translated into Alconost Translations i>
Although Steve Ballmer покинул top management of Microsoft , forgotten he definitely will not. I carefully watched Ballmer as he ran Microsoft, and taught me a lot as his successes and his failures.
We often look at the успешных CEO like Steve Jobs or Jack Welch, consider them geniuses and imitate them in everything. So we borrowed from the Welch method of forced ranking, was one of the main reasons that Microsoft began to lose its position (approx. An interpreter: a question of practice, all employees of the division into five categories from the highest to the lowest, when 10% or 5% employees necessarily fall into the category with the lowest rating. In Microsoft rating served as the basis for promotion and bonuses. Employees of lower rank, usually eventually dismissed, or they left themselves) i>.
Learn from the mistakes of others is often more important than someone else's success, because it saves you from repeating someone else's painful experience. Well, let's talk about the things that I realized that because of Ballmer and revive my advice to future top managers.
transforms completely or not at all transformed by h4> Remember the infamous video "Boy-monkey» , skim Ballmer on motivational meeting with Microsoft employees before he took over the company? At this meeting, Ballmer told them to focus on the "developers, developers, developers!»
Such a method of motivational interviewing, in general, is not unknown. From the speaker expects an enthusiastic, energetic behavior. Plus, the view was prophetic Ballmer: Apple and Google surpassed Microsoft with their iOS and Android precisely because they had more "developers, developers, developers».
But instead of praise Ballmer for his statement and vision of him just laughed - and he took it to heart. Ballmer was transfigured: lost his passion and became a competent but dull public face.
Ballmer secretly retained his passion, but it has become manifest differently: they say he began shouting and throwing furniture. Because of it - began to look unbalanced, controlling himself in public, but a little crazy in person, which does not improve its image. I think the passion was more advantages than disadvantages. But if you are going to dampen their emotional, stick to it, always and everywhere, and do not forget to replace it with something no less powerful. Transfiguration Ballmer did not work because it was not necessary, and it was not executed in the best way.
Be concise h4> The thing that can be stated in one sentence, many require hundreds of words. But Ballmer is not such: he spoke three words that others can not. This conciseness allowed him to reach out to more people.
If you manage a large organization, or communicate with the media, the verbosity at best just kills time, and at worst - takes away from the point. The audience begins to doze off, and you can tell yourself what the talk is not going to. Ballmer has always been an example of brevity, and it worked in his favor.
Appreciate the numbers h4> Bulmer was a man of numbers. In today's world, where the analyst is becoming increasingly important, the figures are much more valuable than in the days when Ballmer began to manage Microsoft. Figures force you to pay attention to measurable indicators, to seek reliable information and to keep a critical eye on the important things.
Ballmer was focused on the figures a little more action. But when you consider what the numbers are increasingly define our successes and failures, it is the thoroughness, love to surf and понимание numbers will distinguish successful top managers from losers .
Choose not competent and loyal h4> This is one of the mistakes made Ballmer, but I do not suggest you choose incompetent people. I have in mind: those who can demonstrate loyalty and team work should be valued more than competent people, but selfish, not configured for productive teamwork.
The inability of talented professionals to work together and caused крупнейших Error Microsoft . Part of the blame can be laid on the method of forced ranking, tuning employees against each other. But the main problem was that it was considered more valuable to be smart and not be able to work in a team. In the end, all resulted in the fact that the company had a lot of smart, but treacherous employees.
Treachery - obviously not the quality that you should cultivate the company. Especially if you are the same top managers who subordinates can put a pig. Hire people focused only on his climbing the ladder of social hierarchy, it would be suicidal. Because the duration of the professional life of such specialists in the company is very short. You need people con you shoulder, and not to expose you.
verify information h4> Sometimes the focus on figures emerged Ballmer sideways - and all because he often got distorted information that had to push him to make certain decisions or just give him the answer he wanted to hear. Figuratively speaking, the "garbage in - garbage out": much of what Ballmer said was inaccurate, and this inaccuracy led to the adoption of disastrous decisions.
You should always check the accuracy of the information collected to manage. Not exacerbate the problem by executing the messenger who brought bad news, or allowing top managers impunity mislead you. The Director-General, in particular, may find themselves surrounded by the reports on which they are manipulated or just give him the information he wants to see. It kills us and makes even the best CEO to act unproductively.
Do not cut yourself off from the outside world h4> Before becoming CEO, to get an idea of the situation Ballmer contacted as people from Microsoft, as well as with people outside. But, getting a leadership position, he allowed to surround yourself with people who clearly wanted more control over its activities. I know what happened to the sole CEO, ever fired from IBM, - with John Akers .
There are always those who want to protect or control of those in power, limiting their contact with the outside world. If you allow this to occur, negative developments go unnoticed for too long. At best, the top manager ceases to work efficiently, and at worst - he falls down and pulls over an entire company. We maintain ties not only with employees, but also with people outside the company, there is an advantage: it shows the area where you are misleading, while you can still make a difference.
me company for yourself h4> Let the last moment, but Ballmer realized this. Until финальной reorganization Microsoft Ballmer, in general, the management company of Bill Gates, while not having a unique set of skills of Gates. On the other hand, Jobs has transformed Apple into the company, which he could control (и his successor Tim Cook is now doing the same thing ).
Becoming the new top manager, choose one of two things: either change your skills to match the needs of the company, or to change the company so as to conform to your skills. Ballmer - not an expert in software: amazing, so well he coped with the company created around an expert in software. Ballmer could never compete with Gates, but he changed the way Microsoft to better utilize their strengths. Сатья Nadella successor Ballmer, from the outset put himself exactly , and this can have a positive impact on the duration of his stay in a management position.
Enjoy your business h4> The last time I saw a smiling Ballmer shortly after the announcement of its agreement to join the post. He grinned, saying goodbye, from the window of his limousine.
This led me to the final conclusion: enjoy. If you do not get pleasure from work - any work - looking for alternatives. Ballmer finally retired from Microsoft in the name of something куда more interesting to him , and I hope that many of us find a way to bring back the smile on the face. Work can be awesome and pleasurable pastime - and perhaps prison.
My last lesson from Steve Ballmer, has escaped from prison and find a way to regain that smile, which fondly remember the people around you.
Source: habrahabr.ru/company/alconost/blog/240615/
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