Bill Gates: Entrepreneur, Manager, and Leader 17/03/2021, 13:43

Leadership

Bill Gates: Entrepreneur, Manager, and

Leader
by B V Krishnamurthy

June 27, 2008

Today marks the last working day for Bill Gates at Microsoft. So
much has been written and spoken about him that another column
appears redundant. Some people may even feel a tinge of happiness
that they no longer have to contend with the ruthless businessman
that Gates has been portrayed as. The purpose of this post is to
analyze what can be learned by young people from perhaps the most
successful entrepreneur of our times.

• Focus: Bill Gates has demonstrated over nearly thirty years the
importance of clarity of thought and execution. Unlike many of his
contemporaries, he did not move away from the domain he
understood better than anything else – software. He has pursued the
objective of dominance in software in general and operating systems
in particular that has few parallels. Venturing into unfamiliar
territory may be fashionable but carries a high degree of risk. If ever a

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need arises for an absolute example for what Peters and Waterman
called “Stick to the Knitting” and Hamel and Prahalad termed core
competence, one needs to look no further than Bill Gates and
Microsoft. Focus also means the ability to pursue one’s goals
whatever the obstacles may be. Such a degree of perseverance is hard
to come by.

• Thinking big: Along with focus, the ability to dream big and pursue
that with single-minded determination sets Gates apart from other
entrepreneurs. This is particularly true of entrepreneurs from
emerging economies like India where an ultra-conservative attitude
has stifled growth. Entrepreneurs need to develop confidence in
themselves and their team that they can take on the world and come
out winners.

• Passion: Simply put, if anything is worth doing, it is worth doing

well. From a simple thank you note to a complex proposal, it is
critical to place the stamp of excellence on whatever one undertakes.
Equally important is the need to constantly innovate. Change is the
only constant and the more agile and adaptive we are to change, the
more successful we can be.

• Learning as a life-long process: Though dropping out of college to

his dreams, Bill Gates has probably read and written more than most
of us ever will. In the process, he has shown the limits of formal
education. Important as formal education is, perhaps it is more
important to realize that learning is a life-long process. Knowledge is
infinite. Even if we keep assimilating it without a break throughout a
lifetime, we would not have scratched the surface. Knowledge should
lead to humility and wisdom – not arrogance and one-upmanship.

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• Giving back to society: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has
provided a new dimension to philanthropy by addressing issues that
are global in nature – malaria, cancer, AIDS. Feeling good by doing
good may appear old-fashioned but this may yet be the best way
forward in combating diseases that kill or maim millions of people
every year. With friend and legendary investor Warren Buffet also
joining hands, a formidable combination has been forged. Bill Gates
has shown a remarkable degree of consistency both in his business
goals and in his goals in philanthropy – he is a global citizen.

Although some Indian entrepreneurs have indeed espoused similar

causes – Infosys Foundation, Azim Premji Foundation, and the House
of Tata come to mind, a lot more can be done by successful Indian
entrepreneurs. In fact, just 5% of the wealth of the 200 richest people
can eradicate some of the most pressing problems that we face.
Wealth should not be merely in terms of building the most
flamboyant homes but in pursuing a higher calling. Where is the
collective conscience of the rich who hav made it big due to the
society that they are a part of?

As with any successful or great person, there will always be

controversies. In an age where the distinction between means and
ends is increasingly blurred, taking extreme positions hardly helps.
One may not agree with Gates’ means for achieving what he has, but
one would find it difficult to ignore his contributions to the IT
industry. However, history and posterity will probably recognize him
more for what he has decided to do – at a relatively young age – for
the rest of his life. Combating hunger, fighting disease and educating
the poor are truly lofty goals worth emulating by anyone who cares
for humanity and for the quality of life on this planet. On this count,
there cannot be many role models better than Bill Gates. The last
thirty years have seen the emergence of an entrepreneur par

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excellence. The next thirty years will probably see the emergence of
the greatest individual philanthropist – not necessarily in monetary
terms – but in terms of the global issues addressed with dedication.

Since this is a discussion forum, two questions to readers:

• How do you get the next Bill Gates, or better, without inviting the
kind of controversy that his success has spawned?

• Why can’t governments spend 1% less on defense and use the

money to improve living conditions for the poorest of the poor?

B V Krishnamurthy is the Director and Executive

Vice-President of Alliance Business Academy in
Bangalore, India, where he is also the ASI
Distinguished Professor of Strategy and
International Business.

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