The Curious Minds Behind Microsoft’s Success
What single attribute distinguishes exceptional CEOs? According to Brad Smith, Microsoft’s president and vice chair, it’s curiosity. Smith, who has been with Microsoft since 1993, has worked closely with all three of the company’s CEOs: Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, and Satya Nadella. He shared his insights on this unifying characteristic at Geekwire’s Microsoft@50 event in Seattle.
Smith highlighted that all three leaders exhibited a remarkable level of curiosity, describing it as “a common attribute that I have found to be present in most truly great leaders in multiple fields.” He noted the rarity of a tech company surviving and remaining relevant for half a century, and even more unusual to have only three CEOs during that time. Gates led for the first 25 years, Ballmer for 14 years, and Nadella is currently in his 11th year.
