FREE ESSAY ON BILL GATES

BILL GATES

In its 23-year lifetime, Microsoft has had three distinct phases. The first, from 1975 to
1989, was characterized by both bold thrusts into new businesses. Among their many
successes were MS-DOS, Word, Excel, Macintosh software and Windows. The company relied on
the success of Windows, banking every penny they had on its success, which paid off in
Microsoft's second phase from 1990, when Windows 3.0 was released, to 1994. Customer
driven change also marked phase two. Customers wanted operating systems that blended the
best of Windows, UNIX, and NetWare, this was the beginning of Windows NT. Customers
wanted the best of Microsoft's productivity tools to work better together, so Microsoft
Office was created to integrate the software. Recognizing the need to develop fundamental
advances in software, Microsoft created Microsoft research. In 1995 Microsoft entered
phase three, taking advantage of tremendous opportunities offered by the Internet. Since
1995 Microsoft has reinvented itself so that, today, everything Microsoft creates or
updates leverages with the Internet. 
In the beginning Gates' was mainly concerned and involved with technical development of
new products in order to attract consumers. Since Microsoft controls the largest
percentage of the market than any of its competitors Gates' puts more focus on the
organization itself and its employees. Microsoft's mission is to continually advance and
improve software technology and to make it easier, more cost effective and more enjoyable
for people to use computers. In order for Microsoft to continue on its fruitful path the
development of intelligent decision makers, otherwise known as managers, must be trained.
Gates' realizes the ROI of his creation relies on every single individual, which makes up
the organization called Microsoft. He also knows he cannot be at the table to make ever
single day-to-day decision, instead of trying to be in a hundred place at oncece Gates'
attempts to train well oiled managers. He has even published articles that reveal his
expectations and qualities he attempts to instill into Microsoft managers. Here are
Bill's ten qualities of a good employee:
1. Choose a field thoughtfully. By choosing a field one enjoys it makes it easier to
generate enthusiasm towards one's work. This is true for both a manager and 
an employee.
2. Hire carefully and be willing to fire. A strong team is vital, because a mediocre team
provides mediocre results, no matter how well it is managed.
3. Create a productive environment. This is a particular challenge because it requires
different approaches depending on the environment. Sometimes productivity is maximized by
providing everybody his or her own office and other times by moving everybody into open
space. Sometimes financial incentives stimulates productivity and motivation. Usually a
mixture of approaches is necessary to reach desired productivity.
4. Define success. This is done by providing employees with a clear definition of success
and how they should measure their achievements. Goals must be realistic. 
For example, project schedules must be set those who actually do the work. 
People will accept a bottom-up deadline they helped set, but maybe overwhelmed by a
schedule imposed from upper management that doesn't map reality. Unachievable goals
undermine an organization.
5. To be a good manager, you have to like people and be good at communicating. This
quality is generally impossible to fake. If an individual doesn't genuinely enjoy
interacting with people it will be hard to manage well.
6. Develop your people to do their jobs better than you can. Transfer your skills to
them. This is an exciting goal, but it can be threatening to a manger that is worried
about training his replacement. Many managers like to see their employees increase their
responsibility because it frees them up to tackle new or undone tasks.
7. Build morale. It should be made clear there's plenty of good will to go around and
that there is not just one hotshot manager getting all the credit. Explain to employees
the importance of their work to the company and customers. Giving people a sense of
importance increases motivation to complete the task to the best of their ability and
provides the feeling of satisfaction after completion.
8. Take on projects yourself. Managers need to do more than communicate. Nobody wants to
work for a boss who just delegates tasks. It is important for a manager from time to time
to take on less attractive task to provide examples of how his or her employees should
meet challenges.
9. Don't make the same decision twice. Managers should have the confidence in their well
thought out decision in order to not leave any avenues open for rediscussion. A manager
should never have to second-guess himself or herself.
10. Let people know whom to please. It should be made clear whom employees have to
please, whether it's the manager, the manager's boss or someone else higher up. There is
a risk of paralysis when employees start to question whom they are supposed to make
happy.
The beauty of Gates' tips is they are pretty much common sense, it doesn't take a rocket
scientist to incorporate these aspects into his or her employee. Making processes clear
and simple always seems to accomplish the goals it(s) was set out to. Gates' believes in
talking with employees and customers rather than talking at them. By conducting
conversations individuals, especially customers, can understand and allow them to provide
feedback that is taken into consideration allows Gates' to build a lasting and trusting
relationship with employees and customers.