When Satya Nadella became CEO of Microsoft in 2014, a very big question was asked: why does the company exist?
Microsoft has had a clear vision for decades: to put a Windows PC in every office. But the mission seems to have been largely completed. So the question becomes automatically what do we do next?
"When I was a member of Microsoft in 1992, we used to say that our mission is a PC in every home and every office. It was a tangible, clear, concise and very empowering mission because it was clear to us who the company was and what we were trying to do in the end, "said Nadella, speaking in London last week.
“Even since the late 90s, at least in the developed world, we had achieved that and after that it was a bit unclear: what is our purpose? That's why I thought it was important for me in 2014 to ask the question, an existential question: why does Microsoft exist? and then I tried to answer clearly for myself and for all of us.”
Nadella said that to find the answer, he had to go back to the beginning product created by Microsoft, a basic interpreter for the Altair 8800.
"This shows exactly who we are, that is, we create technology so that others can create technology."
"We empower people and organizations around the world to achieve more, and all of this is a key word for us, not about our technology, but what we can do with our technology."
"I wanted to get back to that sense of purpose. Much has happened since Altair onwards, we can not say "let's go back to the roots not to create a basic interpreter for Altair", but development tools for the quantum computer.
Changing the culture in Microsoft is not easy, he acknowledges. For example, he had to introduce a book on "non-violent" communication to the Microsoft leadership team to encourage them to communicate better.
Part of the problem was that the company executives had done lessons for "precision questions".
"The idea was to destroy everyone's idea in the first five minutes, asking with very precise detailed questions to disrupt the speaker's case. "This is actually a very useful analytical tool, but it was used as a means of insult," Natella said.
"This is one of the reasons why I said that if we want to be an effective leadership team, we need to use non-violent communication."
Nadella wants to create a "culture of growth" in corporate culture, despite the great cynicism that exists.
Nadella is also a friend in the use of empathy in business, arguing that it can create a better understanding of what customers really need. In London, he launched his book Hit Refresh, in an effort to "rediscover the soul of Microsoft."
"When I think of our business, at its core we need to promote innovation that meets the incalculable, fruitless needs of our customers. That's it. If you want to be able to do business, you have to have that skill. ”
"You can't just say." We will listen to customers and do what they ask us to do. They want to get in touch with their real needs. This requires in my opinion the deepest empathy. Now the real challenge is that you can not go to work and say "let me activate this button of empathy and I will be great in business".
From her point of view technology, Nadella said that augmented reality, artificial intelligence and quantum computing will be key areas of focus for the company.
"Mixed reality is the ultimate computer experience. In your field of vision will be the combination of analog and digital. "
"This is the world we go to when we talk about the early forms of virtual reality: augmented reality - that's why we think of it as mixed reality.
"I think it will change her cooperation, it will change commerce, it will change the concept of presence. Design and collaboration are fundamentally changing," added Nadella.
Nadella said mixed reality and AI are still in their early stages while quantum computing is still under investigation.
However, he added:
"What will be the key for us as a company is to follow these three technologies and apply them to our goal: how to solve some of the pressing problems of the world? for our technology and our purpose. ”
Posted in ZDNet
