here's how to be the next bill gates

7/28/2019 Here's How to Be the Next Bill Gates

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Comment: Here's how to be the next Bill Gates

Profit-seeking entrepreneurs could take a few tips from billionaire software engineer-turned-

philanthropist Bill Gates. In honor of Gates' June departure from his day job at Microsoft, career

consultants and psychologists scrutinised the peaks and valleys of Gates' 35-year career topinpoint what factors determined his success.

Clarity of vision

They found that one of Gates' most instructive traits--his clarity of vision--has been evident since

adolescence. After writing his first computer program at age 13, Gates hasn't wavered in his

mission to develop cutting-edge software with the potential to change the world.

Gates' single-mindedness has led him down some risky paths. For example, when he was 20, he

dropped out of Harvard to found Microsoft. And in 1998, he dared to take the stand himself in an

antitrust suit brought about by the government. His pattern of accomplishment following thesechoices--Microsoft's meteoric rise and an eventual settlement that didn't much restrict the

company's monopoly on its browser and operating system--reflects Gates' understanding of how

and when it's actually a good idea to break the rules.

But experts say it's important for aspiring business leaders considering dicey ventures to fully

understand their potential ramifications. Gambling isn't for everybody, they add, and it can sink a

career if backup plans aren't in place.

"Gates demonstrated that the old-school model of an Ivy-league degree, or a pedigreed family,

isn't a requirement for career success," says Katy Piotrowski, author of The Career Coward's

Guide to Changing Careers. "Yet it's important to remember that in the absence of a career-driving vision, it doesn't hurt."

Critics have lambasted Gates for a management style they label overbearing and bossy, but hisharsh workplace demeanor belies another secret to his success: his unwillingness to compromise

his goals. But there's a softer side to the technology magnate. Gates earned the appreciation of

his employees by leading an office as casual as a college campus and encouraging free thinking,which allowed him some leeway to exercise tough love when necessary.

"Microsoft employees are some of the best and brightest, but they're not known for being

conformists," says Stephen Hopson, a career consultant and professional speaker, in an e-mail."Can you imagine them working in an environment that required adherence to a strict dress

code? Bill Gates understood his employees and provided the ideal conditions for them to thrive."

Eye for opportunities

Gates' emotional intelligence and business savvy could only get him so far. Luck certainly was

kind to him. And while that lesson is impossible to emulate, he also pounced on opportunities asthey came to him. For example, when IBM first asked Gates to write an operating system for its


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first PC, Gates possessed neither the experience nor the resources to put one together. He said

yes anyway, and in a few weeks MS-DOS was born.

"Successful people like Gates take advantage of opportunities because they're ready for them,"

says Carol Vecchio, founder of the Seattle-based Centerpoint Institute for Life and Career

Renewal. "If your vision isn't clear enough, these opportunities don't happen to you, because youcan't see them."

The quality most essential to Gates' success, though, is what the experts call self-knowledge.

Whether it was programming BASIC or managing a charitable foundation, Gates never hesitatedto act in accordance with his passions. He constantly champions innovation, refusing to stop and

revel in his past accomplishments. That way, he keeps himself stimulated by work that is all-

consuming.

"People should look at Gates as someone who has been successful as a total human being, not

just as a businessman," says Alexandra Levit, a career consultant and author of How'd You Score

That Gig? "This is, admittedly, a new definition for success, but one that's becoming increasinglyimportant as the boundaries between the personal and the professional continue to blur."

Start Early

Gates developed a fascination with computers at an early age and earned permission to be

excused from middle school classes to study programming. "Even as a child, Gates was

determined to do something spectacular and have fun along the way, entering the adult worldprematurely with enough emotional stability to sustain his place and make his mark," writes

career psychologist Siobhan Hamilton-Phillips in an e-mail to Forbes.com.

Develop a Clear Vision--and Stick to It

Gates started his first software company at age 17 and, from the beginning, dreamed of

developing it into a corporate giant. "At a young age, Gates devoted time to practicing his skillsand seeking more information about what fascinated him: approaching problems, testing ideas,"

says Andrea Kay, career consultant and author of Life's a Bitch and Then You Change Careers.

"He's gifted, with incredible focus."

Break the Rules--Within Reason

School wasn't for Gates, and he knew it. He ditched Harvard at age 20 to found Microsoft. Butbefore you make a dangerous career choice, make sure you've thought through the consequences.

"It would be a mistake to generalize from Bill Gates' dropping out to infer that most aspiring

entrepreneurs should drop out," San Francisco-based career coach Marty Nemko writes in an e-mail. "One needs Gates' unusual combination of Harvard-level intelligence and drive,

ruthlessness masked by boyish charm, and--maybe the most important of all--luck."


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Hire Your Friends

Gates' Microsoft cohorts have been with him from the very beginning, and the loyalty withwhich he's treated them has produced big returns. He met the co-founder of Microsoft, Paul

Allen, when he was only 13, and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is a friend since their days at

Harvard. Strong personal relationships provide a level of trust that extends beyond theworkplace, and they guarantee that your employees will perform at a high level for you.

Image Is Everything

Gates has successfully transformed himself from a rebel upstart to a corporate leader to a

groomed philanthropist, and in doing so has dictated how the public perceives him. "As he's

gotten older, he's been able to present himself as more mature and more corporate: His glasses

got smaller, his hair got tamer," says Barbara Pachter, career coach and author of New Rules @Work. "Now he's moving from that image to that of the elder statesman, so he's clearly able to

develop his image based on how he wants people to look at him."

Don't Get Complacent

Despite becoming a billionaire at age 38, Gates didn't stop prioritizing innovation. That's because

his desire to achieve goes beyond profit. He's obsessed with his industry and has a passion fordeveloping new ideas. When choosing a career, make sure you have a genuine interest in what

you're doing. Your performance will never cease to improve as a result, experts say, and the

money will come later.

Know Yourself

Throughout his career, Gates has succeeded by pursuing his passions, from basic programmingup to philanthropy. He's never settled for work he didn't believe in. "Readers should look at

Gates as someone who has been successful as a total human being, not just as a businessman,"

says Alexandra Levit, career expert and author of How'd You Score That Gig? "This is,admittedly, a new definition for success, but one that's becoming increasingly important as the

boundaries between the personal and the professional continue to blur."

here's how to be the next bill gates

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