
Bill Gates was like Michael Jordan while running Microsoft - jedwhite
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/10/how-bill-gates-was-like-michael-jordan-while-running-microsoft.html
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jasoneckert
When I worked there as a developer (early 1990s), it was definitely a very
aggressive and focused culture. You had big targets and would get reamed out
if you didn't meet them.

But the following day you'd be praised for what you did get done to make sure
you knew how much you have achieved - and that often pushed you to meet your
targets the following day or so.

I liken it today to a perpetual game jam or hackathon. Four months at
Microsoft felt like 10 years anywhere else, but no other environment built my
skillset as fast, and I have many fond memories of that time and culture.

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ncmncm
Michael Jordan was an unprosecuted monopoly abuser who got away with
presenting fraudulent evidence under oath, and set back computer technology by
decades, getting people used to crashing systems without demanding their money
back?

Who knew?

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harassmentmcl
Bill Gates and Steve Jobs would never have gotten away with what they did now
due to the internet. I know many former Microsoft employees, Bill was famous
for grilling people. “That was the stupidest idea in the history of Microsoft”
was a common phrase.

Watching Gates’ building his legacy has been interesting, I always wondered
what happened to the “real Bill” I heard about from my network who worked for
him directly. I think it is an interesting move for him to be honest about it
due to this book.

I suspect that Gates has been able to run interference on accounts of what he
used to be like: Mean.

Despite that, he has made a lot of his employees very rich. If you were
anywhere near Gates during this period you would have counted yourself lucky
to be getting reamed and counting your stock options over multiple stock
splits. I would take the 1985 - 1998 Microsoft stock options please.

I think the changing realities of the internet and laws protecting diverse
workforce’s from harassment might be a genuine future risk to his legacy. I
have been surprised at how little coverage there has been.

If Gates and Jobs engaged in their former behavior in a modern work
environment they would definitely get sued. Not “possibly” or “potentially” ->
it would be a successful lawsuit, maybe a class action and they would lose.

If they did what they did anywhere near women or minorities it would stand a
good chance of getting labeled some form of illegal harassment or
discrimination under current law.

I am not saying they necessarily are racist or sexist, but any type of
behavior like this towards women or minorities in general would be an
extremely high risk activity.

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aparsons
It was interesting to see both at the White House to receive the presidential
medal of freedom. Both are maniacally competitive and dominated their field
for a decade unlike anyone before or since.

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perl4ever
Michael Jordan, as in the CEO of PepsiCo, Westinghouse, CBS, and EDS?

