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5 responses to “One of Microsoft’s new CEO’s strengths? He doesn’t finish business books…”

1. 

   Sean Fleming

   February 10, 2014 at 9:26 am

   I was having the “are you a starter or a finisher” conversation with someone last week. My take on it (I’ve got several, this is just one of them) is that you can’t be a leader unless you are a starter.

   Yes, it helps considerably if you are able to be a finisher – especially when the need really arises. But being a starter – being driven by curiosity, enthusiasm for ideas – needs to be a fundamental part of who you are, of what makes you tick.

   Final thought… the puritan work ethic. I’ve always been a bit foxed by the notion of the ‘Christian work ethic’, seeing as work was handed down by God to Adam and Eve as a punishment in the Garden of Eden.

2. 

   Scott Lawson

   February 10, 2014 at 11:08 am

   Starter’s need finishers, and more than one preferably. Leaders are definitely starters. They need to inspire and create by getting the ball rolling. I was going to write more but I got distracted…. ;)

3. 

   amayfield

   February 10, 2014 at 11:19 am

   I think that as well as realising where you are on the starter-finisher spectrum, a skill is to be discerning about what you finish, and to be prepared to abandon things that aren’t worth completing.

   On the Christian work ethic, I was raised by lapsed Catholics, one of whom was converted to protestantism, so I like to joke that I got the Protestant work ethic and Catholic guilt combined – I work myself into the ground and feel terrible about it… ;)

4. 

   paulfabretti

   February 10, 2014 at 2:42 pm

   It’s interesting how, IMHO, Nadella has made himself more endearing (and potentially Microsoft too) by being more human and fallable. Conversely, Tim Cook at Apple is already quite personable (certainly much more approachable than Jobs), yet my view of Apple has deteriorated somewhat – as if the mystery of Jobs was part of the appeal of Apple.

5. 

   amayfield

   February 10, 2014 at 3:48 pm

   I’d see the Nadella/Ballmer contrast as being about intellectually engaged and curious, rather than driven first and foremost by the commercials. It’s the intellectual curiosity and connecting nature of Jobs that created the Apple magic.

   Ultimately the products rather than the personalities are what define the brand experience for me – but the style of leadership and the values of the leader will have a big influence on how good those products are. I don’t know enough about Satya Nadella to say how he will affect the quality of Microsoft’s products – but I’m looking forward to seeing how the company changes with him in charge.