The David Rubenstein Show: Satya Nadella

Summary

Satya Nadella discusses his journey to becoming Microsoft CEO after Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer. He emphasizes the importance of empathy, learned from raising a son with disabilities and a daughter with learning challenges. Nadella transformed Microsoft's culture to be more open and made cloud computing a priority. He acquired LinkedIn to connect professionals. Nadella aims to improve gender diversity at Microsoft but admits he misstepped by giving a poor answer about women's pay. He is energized by Microsoft's sense of purpose and thinks he will enjoy being CEO for many more years.

Takeaways

• 😃 Satya Nadella succeeded Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer as Microsoft CEO. They told him to be himself, not try to emulate them.
• 😊 Nadella's father wanted him to focus on studies, not just play cricket. He pushed Nadella to pursue engineering.
• 🤓 Nadella got his computer science degree in India then his MBA in the U.S. while working at Sun Microsystems.
• 😞 Nadella's son was born with cerebral palsy. It taught him empathy and to see life through his son's eyes.
• 😢 Nadella's younger daughter has learning disabilities. He and his wife built a community to support children with disabilities.
• 🤔 Nadella changed Microsoft's proprietary culture to be more open and cooperative with competitors.
• 😀 Nadella focused on mobile and the cloud, not just Windows and Office.
• 👍 LinkedIn acquisition integrates professional networking with Microsoft's Pro cloud and devices.
• 🙁 Nadella initially misspoke about women's pay, but learned from it. He ties exec pay to progress on gender equity.
• 😊 Nadella aims to increase women in tech roles from 27% to higher. He's optimistic about leading Microsoft.

Q & A

What advice did Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer give Satya about succeeding them as Microsoft CEO?

They told Satya not to try to be like them, but rather to be his own person and lead in his own way.

How has having a son with cerebral palsy and a daughter with learning disabilities impacted Satya's leadership approach?

It has made Satya more empathetic and focused on understanding people's needs. He believes empathy is key for innovation and meeting customer needs.

Why did Microsoft fall behind Amazon in cloud computing at first?

Microsoft was very successful with its profitable server business and didn't see the need to shift to the lower margin cloud computing business, while Amazon was able to see the long-term potential.

How did Satya change Microsoft's historically proprietary culture?

He approached competitors with a less zero-sum mentality, aiming for market expansion through strategic partnerships.

What is the vision behind the LinkedIn acquisition?

To combine LinkedIn's professional network with Microsoft's professional cloud and devices to increase productivity.

What happened after Satya made controversial comments about equal pay?

He listened and learned from backlash from successful women at Microsoft, gaining key insights on making tech companies welcoming for women.

What is Microsoft doing to improve gender diversity in tech roles?

Setting representation targets, tying executive compensation to diversity goals, and pushing continuous improvement.

How long does Satya plan to remain Microsoft CEO?

As long as he feels a sense of purpose and it remains fun and rewarding day-to-day.

How did Satya's father influence his ambitions growing up?

His father pushed him to expand his limited ambitions and pursue computer science engineering.

What first got Satya interested in joining the Bing team?

Seeing the parking lot full of people working late, signalling passion and drive.