Cringely is a long-time industry observer. I’ve been happily reading his insights for at least a decade.
In this article, he makes a character analysis of the leadership at Microsoft. I post it here as a warning to all of you ambitious types (including me).
I have always said that if the CEO is rotten, the whole company will be rotten – leadership begins from the top. I know of a few ill-tempered CEOs who, despite that bad temper, run their companies with a deep sense of integrity, leading to an amazingly good company. But, ill-tempered CEOs who throw chairs one day and then try to sink their competitors in one of various unethical ways will end up surrounding themselves with similar folks and poison the company.
I’ve met many nice folks from Microsoft, but I still would never work for them (not that they’re asking). They are just too rotten at the top.
Folks, be good, be ethical, be a mensch. The alternative is not worth it.
Link: PBS | I, Cringely . March 30, 2006 – Prisoner of Redmond.
Based purely on character (or lack of it), I confidently predict that Microsoft is going down. It should be interesting.
