Satya Nadella credits Steve Ballmer's advice for Microsoft's success

In 2014, when Satya Nadella became the CEO of Microsoft, he received invaluable guidance from his predecessor, Steve Ballmer. Ballmer, who had a long tenure at Microsoft, provided Nadella with a succinct piece of advice that would shape his leadership style: 'Be bold and be right.' Nadella shared this advice during a Stanford Graduate School of Business event in 2019, highlighting its importance for his effectiveness as CEO. This advice underscored the necessity of making impactful decisions while ensuring they were sound. \n\nNadella's interpretation of Ballmer's words resonated with the trajectory he envisioned for Microsoft, particularly in the area of cloud computing. Under his leadership, Microsoft made significant strides in its Azure cloud business, transforming an initial research project into a highly profitable product. Nadella credited Ballmer's encouragement to adopt an aggressive approach towards cloud technology as a vital component of his strategy. The embrace of cloud computing has played a crucial role in the remarkable increase in Microsoft's market value, from about $300 billion at the time of Nadella's appointment to nearly $3 trillion as of early 2024. \n\nNadella, in various interviews, has collaborated with other industry leaders who echo similar principles about leadership. For example, Amazon's current CEO, Andy Jassy, mentioned in a YouTube video how thinking big is critical to leadership effectiveness, paralleling Nadella's emphasis on having broad judgments. Nadella believes successful leaders are those who embody a 'learn-it-all' mentality, constantly seeking knowledge to refine their decision-making processes. \n\nThe growth that Microsoft has experienced under Nadella's leadership illustrates the effectiveness of embracing bold decisions grounded in sound judgment. With such guidance from Ballmer, Nadella has laid the groundwork for the company that not only rejuvenated its image but also positioned it as a leader in the tech industry, marking a significant evolution since he took on the role of CEO.