Presentation by –

DINESH GERA
 EARLY LIFE
• Born on October 28, 1955
in Seattle, Washington,
America.
• EDUCATION
1967
Bill Gates had a normal
schooling at the Lakeside
private school.
1973
He entered Harvard
University but dropped out
in 1975 for the sake of
building up the Software
empire.
 LOVE FOR COMPUTER
TECHNOLOGY
• Wrote his first computer
program for playing tic
tac toe at the age of 13.
• Developed a version of
BASIC programming
language for the MITS
Altair computer.
• Launched Microsoft with
his childhood friend Paul
Allen.
 BEGINNING OF
MICROSOFT
• Founded April 4 1975 by
Bill Gates and Paul Allen.
• They developed a
language for the Altair
8800, called Altair BASIC.
• This code was distributed
with the Altair 8800
system, making it
Microsoft's first distributed
code in companies such
as Commodore, Texas
Instruments, etc.
 IBM PARTNERSHIP
• IBM approached Microsoft in July 1980
regarding its upcoming personal computer.
• Gates referred them to Digital
Research (DRI) for the OS needed by IBM.
• IBM's discussions with Digital Research went
poorly, and they did not reach a licensing
agreement.
• A few weeks later Gates proposed using 86-
DOS (QDOS), an operating system similar to
CP/M that Tim Paterson of Seattle Computer
Products (SCP) had made for hardware
similar to the PC.
• Microsoft made a deal with SCP to become
the exclusive licensing agent, and later the
full owner, of 86-DOS. After adapting the
operating system for the PC, Microsoft
delivered it to IBM as PC DOS in exchange
for a one-time fee of $50,000.
• `
 COMPETITIVE
•
STRATEGY
“BUY IT or BURY IT”
Competition with Intuit which makes Quicken and
Quickbooks.
• Netscape V/S Microsoft
• Real Networks V/S Microsoft
• Google V/S Microsoft
 AGILITY & ABILITY
• FAST LEARNER
Developed the first software at the age of 13.
• RISK BEARER
Gates signed an agreement to write software in
BASIC and other languages for IBM PC.
• He had a VISION
Gates learned to treat software as a business.
• MASTER MIND
Before IBM PC was launched, Microsoft acquired
the operating system renaming it 86-OS from Seattle
computers.
• LONG-TERM APPROACH
Gates was quick to understand the new market
conditions and the impact of the Internet on
Microsoft.
• GREAT CONVINCER
Gates explained his perspective at the
Internet World Conference. He
convinced, ‘The internet phenomenon is
unbelievable. It’s the most fascinating
thing to happen in the world of
computing.’
• INTELLIGENT & AGGRESSIVE
Microsoft bundled the Explorer browser
with its Windows operating system. This
was an aggressive move by Gates to
counter the business benefit of becoming
a market leader.
• INNOVATOR
Microsoft adapted to the existing products and
developed new products centered on the Internet.
It deployed productivity software as well as
authoring tools.
• ACCEPTED CRITICISMS
Microsoft was found guilty of anti-competitive
practices and ‘predatory monopoly’ in 2000.
 PHILANTHROPIST
‘GATES and MALINDA
FOUNDATION’
Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation is the
largest private
foundation in the
world, founded by Bill
and Melinda Gates in
1994. It is "driven by the
interests and passions
of the Gates family”
and is a Private
Grantmaking
Foundations.
• $29 billion endowment, gives more than $1
billion to improve global health & learning.
• Funds for minority college students, AIDS, Polio
and other diseases.
• Global Polio Eradication pledge $720 million
dollars shortfall.
• Pledge by Warren Buffer & Mark Zukerberg to
give half of their wealth towards charity.
 Bill Gates’ Secrets to Success -
Work towards your passion – “Be nice to nerds. Chances are
you'll end up working for one.”

Have a Great Vision - “Every business and household must have

a computer and must run Microsoft software”

Have a Strong Team - “At Microsoft there are lots of brilliant

ideas but the image is that they all come from the top - I’m afraid
that’s not quite right.”

Take a Long-Term Approach –“The Internet is becoming the

town square for the global village of tomorrow.”
Failures are learning lessons - “Your most unhappy
customers are your greatest source of learning.”

Don’t rest on your laurels – “Intellectual property has

the shelf life of a banana.”

Never Stop Asking Questions

 SOURCES & TYPES OF POWER
POSSESSED BY BILL GATES
Formal Powers– “Powers based on individual’s position…
usually comes from formal authority”

Personal Powers – “A Power possessed even without having

a formal power”….
 FORMAL POWER:
• Legitimate Power – formal authority to control &
use organizational resources…..

• Reward Power – use of financial / non-financial

rewards to produce positive results….

• Coercive Power – Use of authority to create fear. Bill

Gates power can be felt beyond Microsoft …..
 PERSONAL POWERS
• Expert Power – Influence wielded on others
due to expertise, Knowledge or special skills.

• Referent Power – Referent power develops

out of admiration & a desire to be like that
person……… Bill gates has a “larger than life” like
image in the IT industry & beyond...
 Bill gates style as Fiedler Model

Low LPC Score – means high task oriented approach…Bill Gates appears
to be interested in Results / Productivity…

• Basic Leadership Style: Low LPC

• Leader Member Relationship – Good
• Task Structure – High
• Position Power - Strong
 LEADERSHIP GRID -

9 1,9 9,9
8
7
6
5 5,5 Tough
4 Taskmasters,
People are
3 commodity,
2 (9,2) High orientation
towards
1 1,1 9,1 Planning,
Controlling &
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Directing

Low  Concern for Results  High

 Leadership style
• Autocratic style – command & control, Obsession
with details…

• Delegate style – Hire brightest talents, more

autonomy to managers.