Leadership of Bill Gates Essay Example

Leadership of Bill Gates Essay Group 11 July 30, 2012 North South University Summer 2012 MGT321 Section: 12 Report Prepared for: Mohammad MujibulHoque (MJB) TOPIC – Leadership of Bill Gates Prepared by: Group 11 TEAM PROFILE Information| Signature| Rafat Mahmud 103 0093 530Email: rafat. m. [emailprotected] comContract no: +8801737165879| | Arjumand Ara Shabnam 113 0032 530Email: arjumand. [emailprotected] comContract no: +8801671693289| | Faisal Jahan 092 0381 030Email: [emailprotected] omContract no: +8801911905620| | Letter of transmittal To Mohammad MujibulHoque North South University Bashundhara, Dhaka. Subject: Submitting the project paper on the leadership of Bill Gates. Sir, In this project we have tried to implement our learning on leadership from this course. We would like to thank you for offering the opportunity to work on this topic. We have tried our best to make this report precise and dependable. Now we really will be grateful if you accept our report and appreciate our works by going through it. If you have further queries regarding this report, we gladly remain standby whenever you ask for it. Sincerely yours, Rafat Mahmud _______________ Arjumand Ara Shabnam_______________ Faisal Jahan_______________ CONTENTS Leadership7 Characteristics of a good leader7 â€Å"Born to be a leader†8 Education and way from childhood9 The sroty of a living legend10 Path-Goal theory analysis12 Charismatic Leadership15 Bill Gates as a Charismatic Leader16 Bill Gates as a model Leader17 Quotes of Bill Gates20 Conclusion21 References22 Acknowledgement Creating this project has been a great assignment for all of us. Since the beginning of our work we have been through much confusion, but still we managed to find the solution. First of all, we would like to thank almighty Allah for giving us the endurance and potency to complete this project productively within due time. We would like to extend our gratitude to our respected faculty Mohammad Mujibul Hoque for his enormous support. We are grateful to him for guiding us and helping us to finish this project efficiently. Our honest respect goes to Mr. Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, who is the center of our report. We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership of Bill Gates specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership of Bill Gates specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership of Bill Gates specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Finally, we would like to thank each other for the wonderful cooperation we shared among ourselves as group members. Our dedication and strong teamwork has turned in the successful completion of this project. We learned extensively on Bill Gates and Microsoft Corporation from our work. This project has helped us to gain vast knowledge and has exposed some interesting answers. Group Members of this Project July 25th, 2012 Abstract Leader is the person who wills the responsible for directing a number of people towards their desired goal they are working for. A leader cannot be an ordinary person as he/she has a whole team to lead. He will be deciding what to do or what not to do, and be responsible for the outcomes of his decisions, whether it is right or wrong. A leader can be both born and made but to become a leader a person must possess so virtues such as integrity, charisma, leading by example, enthusiasm and courage etc. Our project is based on the chapter â€Å"Leadership†, and we have implemented our learning from the chapter on worlds one of the greatest leader, manager and business tycoon â€Å"BILL GATES†. We have tried to show how Bill Gates born in a upper middle class family changed his life starting from his childhood, and how his leadership virtues has made him the leader and owner of world’s most largest software company. From childhood Bill Gates had focus towards his works, from beginning he had a great passion towards his job. He had worked hard towards his goal from beginning. As a result even after leaving his college dreams and being a Harvard drop out Bill Gates made his way to the top and became the richest person in the worlds for several times and also has become one those leaders who have highly influenced the 20th century. Leadership Leadership has been described as a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task. Characteristics of a Leader 1. Integrity: You cannot lead for a long time without integrity. Integrity is a first characteristics and the most important one for good leaders because without integrity all other characteristics not only lack their importance but they become useless. 2. Inspiring and Optimist: A good leader is capable of inspiring others to follow a cause both willingly and with vigor. And without leading by example you can notinspire your followers. 3. Enthusiastic and Courageous: You can achieve great thing without enthusiasm and without courage you lack ability of taking risk. Without risk taking ability you cannot be a leader. 4. Leading by Example: A good leader should lead by front and he should set a good example for their followers. A good leader should be motivated in under pressure situations. 5. Charisma: This is the characteristic which is missing in today`s many leader but this is the characteristics that differentiate between a great leader and a good leader. Bill Gates â€Å"BORN TO BE A LEADER† Bill Gates is one of the most influential people in the world. He is co-founder of the most recognized brands in the computer industry with nearly every desktop computer using at least one software program from Microsoft. According to Forbes magazine Gates is the wealthiest man in the world and has been in the number 1 position for at least seven years. United States of America has been giving the world the best of the best leaders that lead in the human revolution. Bill Gates is one of those best leaders, he was born in October 28, 1955 in Seattle, Washington Gates attended public elementary school and the private Lakeside School. There, he discovered his interest in software and began programming computers at age 13. In 1973, Gates entered Harvard University as a freshman, where he lived down the hall from Steve Ballmer, now Microsofts chief executive officer. While at Harvard, Gates developed a version of the programming language BASIC for the first microcomputer the MITS Altair. In his junior year, Gates left Harvard to devote his energies to Microsoft, a company he had begun in 1975 with his childhood friend Paul Allen. Guided by a belief that the computer would be a valuable tool on every office desktop and in every home, they began developing software for personal computers. Currently, Bill Gates is the chairperson of Microsoft Company which was made in 1975 with Paul Allen. The reason why they made this company is that they wanted to develop software for personal computers. Because of this company, he is a very wealthy man. With an estimated wealth of $46. 6 billion in 2004, Bill Gates became the richest man in the world. Being the richest man in the world has also enabled Gates to create one of the world’s largest charitable foundations. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has an endowment of more than $28 billion, with donations totaling more than $1 billion every year. Education and way from childhood: William Henry Bill Gates III (born October 28, 1955) is an American business magnate, computer programmer and philanthropist. Gates was born and grew up in Seattle, Washington USA. His father, William H. Gates II was a Seattle attorney and his mother, Mary Maxwell Gates was a school teacher. During his elementary school life, he surpassed all of his classmates, especially in Science and Math. As soon as his parents noticed his intelligence, they enrolled Gates to Lakeside School, private school. This school was known for its intense academic environment. Also this school first introduced Gates to the computers. Bill Gates said, â€Å"When I was thirteen, my school (Lakeside School) installed a teletype machine that connected in downtown Seattle. From that point on, my friends and I spent most of our free time writing programs and figuring out how to make the computer do interesting things. † There, Gates, at age of thirteen, wrote his first software program, which played tic-tac-toe. And also there, Gates and Paul Allen got acquainted and their shared interests in computer programming bonded their friendship. Their partnership brought their talents to new heights. For example, they worked at Computer Center Corporation (CCC) and gained more computer experience; they opened their first company, TRAF-O-DATA in the fall of 1971, which specialized in monitoring and analyzing traffic statistics in cities and countries. In 1973, Gates entered Harvard University as a freshman, where he lived down the hall from Steve Ballmer, now Microsofts chief executive officer. The Story of a Legend living legend: First of all, you should know that he wasn’t born in an already fabulously rich family. His parents were considered to be members of the upper middle class, and he seemed to be a normal child in a normal home. His mom and dad were planning on making him a lawyer. Fortunately, their plan failed! Their son dropped out of Harvard and soon became the youngest self-made billionaire in the world! So how did it all start? We guess it’s safe to say that the really interesting part of the story begins with 13-years-old Bill first seeing the computer of his school. Actually, it wasn’t really the school’s computer, as Lakeside Prep School only purchased some computer time from General Electric. They spend several thousand dollars for that and believed that their students would be able to use the device for a whole year. But Bill Gates and a few friends of him managed to spend all that precious computer time in just a few weeks! Then, sometime later, the Computer Center Operation opened in Seattle and they offered great rates. Bill was there every day, learning, advancing and finally getting banned for crashing the system and changing some data in order to get freer computer time. From here on his passion grew constantly and so did his knowledge. And this is how in his junior year, Bill left Harvard and founded the Microsoft Company together with his friend Paul Allen. Now he is still a college dropout, but he earns some $243 a second, which translates into $500 million a month and $6 billion a year. Which didn’t come for free, for that, he worked hard for years, and so did his employees. One of the most significant work he have done is after signing up with IBM computers on November 20, 1985, and in August, the company struck a deal with IBM to develop a separate operating system called OS/2. With his help the growth of Microsoft windows in a degree that the market share research sites surveyed that the market of Microsoft Windows is 92% in the operating system market. So this is one of the significant legendary works Bill Gates. Time magazine named Gates one of the 100 people who most influenced the 20th century, as well as one of the 100 most influential people of 2004, 2005, and 2006. In 2006, he was voted eighth in the list of Heroes of our time. In 2011, Bill Gates was ranked as the fifth most powerful person in the world, according to rankings by Forbes magazine. Path-Goal theory analysis The Path-Goal Theory of Leadership was developed to describe the way that leaders encourage and support their followers in achieving the goals they have been set by making the path that they should take clear and easy. In particular, leaders: Clarify the path so subordinates know which way to go. * Remove roadblocks that are stopping them going there. * Increasing the rewards along the route. Leaders can take a strong or limited approach in these. In clarifying the path, they may be directive or give vague hints. In removing roadblocks, they may scour the path or help the follower move the bigger blocks. In increasing rewards, they may give occasional encouragement or pave the way with gold. This variation in approach will depend on the situation, including the followers capability and motivation, as well as the difficulty of the job and other contextual factors. Figure: Path Goal Theory| House and Mitchell (1974) describe four styles of leadership: Supportive leadership Considering the needs of the follower, showing concern for their welfare and creating a friendly working environment. This includes increasing the followers self-esteem and making the job more interesting. This approach is best when the work is stressful, boring or hazardous. Directive leadership Telling followers what needs to be done and giving appropriate guidance along the way. This includes giving them schedules of specific work to be done at specific times. Rewards may also be increased as needed and role ambiguity decreased (by telling them what they should be doing). This may be used when the task is unstructured and complex and the follower is inexperienced. This increases the followers sense of security and control and hence is appropriate to the situation. Participative leadership Consulting with followers and taking their ideas into account when making decisions and taking particular actions. This approach is best when the followers are expert and their advice is both needed and they expect to be able to give it. Achievement-oriented leadership Setting challenging goals, both in work and in self-improvement (and often together). High standards are demonstrated and expected. The leader shows faith in the capabilities of the follower to succeed. This approach is best when the task is complex. Path-Goal variables and predictions Path-goal theory suggests two classes of contingency variables that moderate the leadership behavior-outcome relationship: those in the environment that are outside the control of employee (task structure, formal authority system, work group) and those that are the characteristics of the employee (locus of control, experience, perceived ability). Environmental factors determine what type of leader behavior is needed to maximize the outcome and personal characteristics determine how the environment and leader behavior are interpreted. Charismatic Leadership: A personal quality of attractiveness or interestingness that influences others is called charisma. In Dubrin’s book on leadership he suggests that charisma â€Å"involves a relationship between the leader and the people being led†. He furthermore points to the importance of â€Å"management by inspiration† as he calls it and he points to the different communication styles of a charismatic leader. In essence, charisma is a key aspect of leadership, as Dubrin discusses. Theory of charismatic leadership states that Followers make attributions of heroic or extraordinary leadership abilities when they observe certain ehaviors. Four characteristics of a charismatic leader: i) Having a Vision: vision is expressed as an idealized goal that proposes a future better than the status quo’; and is able to clarify the importance of the vision in terms that are understandable to others ii) Willingness to take personal risk: A charismatic leader wills to take on high pers onal risk, incur high costs and engage self sacrifice to achieve the vision. iii) Sensitiveness to followers need: A charismatic leader is perceptive of others’ abilities and responsive to their needs and feelings. v) Exhibit unusual behavior: Charismatic leaders engage behaviors that are perceived as novel and counter to norms. Bill Gates as a Charismatic Leader The Microsoft Corporation has been a giant in the software industry for over three decades. The company’s founders, Bill Gates and Paul Allen, put together an operating system for the computer world that ultimately captured the attention of every one on earth. However, it was Bill’s pure genius and leadership qualities that took software to a level that was unmatched by anyone. Paul was the mastermind behind the hardware that needed Bill’s software to operate effectively. Bill Gates: A Leader in Innovative Technology everyone in the world wants a computer that is compatible with worldwide technology. Bill Gates is a gigantic leader in that innovative technology field. In spite of being a Harvard drop out, Mr. Gates transformed the revolution of technology into an industry of computer software that is unmatched in recent history. .Gates used the charismatic, transactional, and the transformational styles. While utilizing his charismatic style, Bill Gates used ethics, morals, self-confidence, enthusiasm, and a passion for creating an empire as well as inspiring his subordinates. As noted in Dubrin (2007), leadership is defined as â€Å"the ability to inspire confidence and support among the people who are needed to achieve organizational goals†. Bill Gates showed that ability in a way that has been, for the last three decades, unmatched by anyone. Not only is his mind genius in the creation of software, his leadership at Microsoft Corporation has been the most dignified in recent history. Microsoft has been the world leader for quite some time; however, in these past few years, Gates has opened the door for other companies to make their own software while he has contemplated retirement. Bill Gates as model Leader Being a model of a modern manager and a leader Bill Gates bears some notable virtues. From the beginning he has thought of bigger dreams and his has always focus and passion towards his work. So though being a college dropout Bill Gates has learnt in a lifelong process and finally established understood better than anything else software. He has pursued the objective of dominance in himself as one of the most pioneer managers and leaders of this age. Bill Gates has maintained his idolatry by giving back society many charity works. †¢ Focus: Bill Gates has demonstrated over nearly thirty years the importance of clarity of thought and execution. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he did not move away from the domain he software in general and operating systems in particular that has few parallels. Venturing into unfamiliar territory may be fashionable but carries a high degree of risk. If ever a need arises for an absolute example for what Peters and Waterman called Stick to the Knitting and Hamel and Prahalad termed core competence, one needs to look no further than Bill Gates and Microsoft. Focus also means the ability to pursue ones goals whatever the obstacles may be. Such a degree of perseverance is hard to come by. †¢ Thinking big: Along with focus, the ability to dream big and pursue that with single-minded determination sets Gates apart from other entrepreneurs. This is particularly true of entrepreneurs from emerging economies like India where an ultra-conservative attitude has stifled growth. Entrepreneurs need to develop confidence in themselves and their team that they can take on the world and come out winners. †¢ Passion: Simply put, if anything is worth doing, it is worth doing well. From a simple thank you note to a complex proposal, it is critical to place the stamp of excellence on whatever one undertakes. Equally important is the need to constantly innovate. Change is the only constant and the more agile and adaptive we are to change, the more successful we can be. Bill Gates had the passion towards his work, his passion has later resulted as a powerful leader and a manager at his work field. Learning as a life-long process: Though dropping out of college to his dreams, Bill Gates has probably read and written more than most of us ever will. In the process, he has shown the limits of formal education. Important as formal education is, perhaps it is more important to realize that learning is a life-long process. Knowledge is infinite. Even if we keep assimila ting it without a break throughout a lifetime, we would not have scratched the surface. Knowledge should lead to humility and wisdom not arrogance and one-upmanship. Giving back to society: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has provided a new dimension to philanthropy by addressing issues that are global in nature malaria, cancer, AIDS. Feeling good by doing good may appear old-fashioned but this may yet be the best way forward in combating diseases that kill or maim millions of people every year. With friend and legendary investor Warren Buffet also joining hands, a formidable combination has been forged. Bill Gates has shown a remarkable degree of consistency both in his business goals and in his goals in philanthropy he is a global citizen. Although some Indian entrepreneurs have indeed espoused similar causes Infosys Foundation, AzimPremji Foundation, and the House of Tata come to mind, a lot more can be done by successful Indian entrepreneurs. In fact, just 5% of the wealth of the 200 richest people can eradicate some of the most pressing problems that we face. Wealth should not be merely in terms of building the most flamboyant homes but in pursuing a higher calling. Where is the collective conscience of the rich who have made it big due to the society that they are a part of? As with any successful or great person, there will always be controversies. In an age where the distinction between means and ends is increasingly blurred, taking extreme positions hardly helps. One may not agree with Gates means for achieving what he has, but one would find it difficult to ignore his contributions to the IT industry. However, history and posterity will probably recognize him more for what he has decided to do at a relatively young age for the rest of his life. Combating hunger, fighting disease and educating the poor are truly lofty goals worth emulating by anyone who cares for humanity and for the quality of life on this planet. On this count, there cannot be many role models better than Bill Gates. The last thirty years have seen the emergence of an entrepreneur par excellence. The next thirty years will probably see the emergence of the greatest individual philanthropist not necessarily in monetary terms but in terms of the global issues addressed with dedication. Quotes of Bill Gates Below are some famous quotes, quoted by Bill Gates the founder of Microsoft Corporation, and a person who has held the position of the world’s richest man in the world more than 12 consecutive years. 1. I failed in some subjects in exam, but my friend passed in all. Now he is an engineer in Microsoft and I am the owner of Microsoft. 2. Our success has really been based on partnerships from the very beginning. 3. â€Å"If you cannot make it good at least make it look good† 4. Only a few businesses will succeed by having the lowest price, so most will need a strategy that includes customer services. 5. Embrac e bad news to learn where you need the most improvement. 6. Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. Bill Gates Conclusion From the time being the world has witnessed different types of leader on different times leading the world to a new era or a new star every time. It is time and situation which has given birth to these leaders, for example conquerors have conquered new countries, discoverers have found new places, scientists have invented something new etc. Every one of them has been efficient leaders on their aspects. Bill Gates has changed the world through his revolutionary research and invention. His passion and hard work has made him one of the pioneer leaders of the modern technology. Through our project we have tried to put up and emphasize the virtues of Bill Gates as proficient leader. References 1. http://www. biography. com/people/bill-gates-9307520 2. http://www. nidokidos. org/threads/14268-A-BRIEF-BIOGRAPHY-OF-Bill-Gates 3. www. nidokidos. org/threads/14268-A-BRIEF-BIOGRAPHY-OF-Bill-Gates 4. http://changingminds. org/disciplines/leadership/styles/charismatic_leadership. htm 5. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Bill_Gates#Management_style 6. http://wiki. answers. com/Q/Why_bill_gates_a_charismatic_leader 7. http://www. oppapers. com/essays/Bill-Gates-Leader-Innovative-Technology/181406