A decade ago Microsoft was well on its way to irrelevancy. Forbes mag christened Ballmer was the worst CEO in America. The Board fired him, and today his replacement has led Microsoft to pre-eminence in tech, atop the AI heap. His lessons for how to turn around a behemoth are relevant for organizations large and small.
This podcast explains how Nadella immediately de-invested in the “core” Microsoft products of Windows and Office. Instead he poured company resources into SAAS (Software As A Service) and cloud computing. He quit investing in 3% growth markets, and put the money (and people) into 30%/yr growth markets. Instead of letting xBox languish he made the enormous investment to buy Activision/Blizzard, and now the Gaming division is growing at 60% year over year every quarter. And when other companies were reluctant to invest in AI, Nadella led the way. He demonstrated that even an enormous company with a well defined legacy could nimbly change its investments so that the company could return to growth. And you can follow his lead by investing in growth opportunities – and getting yourself neck deep into using AI.
Thinking Points:
- Are you letting history guide your investments of money, people and time? Or are you putting your resources where they can generate growth?
- Are you putting revenue growth first and foremost on your strategy agenda? Or do you fall into discussions about earnings and cash flow?
- Do you know how AI will change your customers world in 5 years, and thus change your world?
- Are you investing in training, tools and processes to implement AI in your business?
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Ridiculous History
History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by iHeartRadio.