Bill Gates (Founder of Microsoft)

1. What are the successful achievements of your chosen leader? Bill Gates has many successful achievements throughout his career, some include the title of Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire he was awarded by Queen Elizabeth. He is the Co-Founder of and Chairperson of Microsoft, he was also included in the 100 most influential people of the 20th Century from 2004 to 2006. Gates also received doctorates from many universities and institutions; these include The Royal Institute of Technology. He was also awarded the Order of the Aztec Eagle for his assistance to the welfare of the society in Mexico.

2. Using the various theories on leadership in your text identify what type of leader he/she is. Support your answer. Bill Gates uses the autocratic leadership style; he is the main authority figure in the business and is responsible for all policy determination and decision-making due to his high position within the company. This is evident in his strategies as chairperson; hiring people who have the best qualifications has resulted in Microsoft becoming the leading computing manufacturer as well as providing quality services in education and entertainment. His dictation of work methods has allowed him to become the leading businessman and a highly respected entrepreneur within the business world. His strict business policies and a working hierarchical structure have helped Microsoft function to its full advantage with little or no problems within the company.

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3. Based on research on your chosen leader, what factors have contributed to his/her success? (Consider the characteristics of the person along with situational factors). Factors that have contributed to his success include his visionary skills, which have helped him develop Microsoft as a world-renown company and one of the main leaders for computer hardware and software. Other personal qualities include his risk-taking ability, leadership skills, decision-making skills, his energy and drive including motivation, persistence, and strategic skills which have helped him in all aspects of running his business and making profitable deals and negotiations. These characteristics have helped Gates succeed in creating Microsoft as well as creating the force which has helped him build his multi-national empire. Situational factors include his team-building and management skills which have helped him control and manage his strategies in Microsoft. His leadership skills, and decision-making skills have allowed him to negotiate and create many deals with other companies, these include the deal with IBM.

4. Do you believe your chosen leader has the necessary qualities to be an effective leader in the 21st Century?

Yes, I believe Bill Gates has the necessary qualities to be an effective leader in the 21st Century. His continuous adaptations to change in the past three decades have allowed him to build his empire as well as continue meeting the demands of his customers and shareholders. Furthermore, Gates personal qualities, such as persistence and drive allow him to constantly compete with his competitors and keep up with the changing demands of technology and consumer choices. His strategic abilities and determination have allowed him to compete with other companies, such as Intel, and still remain at the top. His visionary skills are the driving force in his career and can be seen in his dedication to his work. These qualities are
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some of the many which have allowed Gates to lead Microsoft and make it one of the many successful companies which have remained at the top in the last three decades.

5. Is it possible to develop and nurture leadership qualities? Support your answer. Yes it is possible to develop and nurture leadership qualities, these qualities are not things which you are born with but ones which develop through training and experiences. Training for leadership is an ongoing process and requires a long period of time before those skills are fully developed and the team member is well situated with the tasks required. Leadership qualities also come with experiencing certain circumstances in which these abilities are able to be developed and require an ongoing process for them to be nurtured. These qualities include integrity, wisdom and sensitivity, and each requires practice for them to be successfully developed and used within different circumstances. An example of this would be Bill Gates and his motivation and visionary skills; Gates has developed these skills through developing and leading Microsoft. Microsoft has achieved many things throughout the year and its employees are dedicated and hard working when it comes to developing new products. Gates has used his visionary skills to motivate his employees into working hard and achieving the best with hard work and dedication. His motivation skills have helped staff allow Microsoft to become one of the most successful hardware and software companies today.

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Reference
BBC News, 2004, Profile: Bill Gates, BBC New, 26 January, viewed 25 March 2010, <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3428721.stm> Business Balls, 1995-2009, Leadership Development Methods and Tips, Businessballs.com, viewed 25 March 2010 < http://www.businessballs.com/leadership.htm> Squidoo, 2009, Gates Windows to Success, Squidoo, viewed26 March 2010 <http://www.squidoo.com/gatessuccess > The Network of Entrepreneurs, 2009, Entrepreneurs Hall of Fame: Bill Gates, Lets Talk Business Network, viewed 25 March 2010 <http://www.ltbn.com/hall_of_fame/Gates.html>

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