BLOG | BILL GATES AND 3 EXTRAORDINARY QUALITIES OF INSPIRING LEADERSHIP

Leaders will be those who empower others – Bill Gates

Bill Gates’ life hasn’t been all fun and games: he dropped out of Harvard University, his first company went out bust, his search engine Bing was a total flop and – well – we all remember the pain of using Microsoft Vista and Internet Explorer 6!! But none of these little rocks in the road ever stopped him.

He’s one of the most successful humans of our time and a brilliant example of inspiring leadership. Let’s take a look at what qualities provide genuine motivation for all of us.

1. Dream & Do

Always fascinated by computer from an early age, young Bill was skipping Maths classes to experiment with his programming skills. And when he got accepted to Harvard, he didn’t think twice to drop out and found Microsoft. His success didn’t manifest overnight, he worked hard hard to make it happen. His deep passion drove him to work uncountable nights to achieve his dream.

Do what you love. You’ll never be a great leader, if you’re not fond about your industry or job. Feed your success with your passion but remember: a good idea isn’t enough; you need to take action! Roll your sleeves, work hard, put effort and breathe life into your dream.

2. Resilience & Evolution

Bill Gates faced many difficulties, including a 21-year battle in the court system that appeared to be the end of Microsoft numerous times. But he never gave up and continued to look forward, sticking to his strategy for the future and not getting distracted by the present challenges. Like any organisation, Microsoft had various huge fiascos, but none of them broke his capability of evolving. And even in times of success, he was rarely complacent and rested on his laurels.

Be resilient and keep looking forward, no matter how big the storm around you is. This is the only way you will stay ahead of trends and lead them! Never be static, a true leader is dynamic and clever enough to change route at the right time. Diversify and be prepared for change.

3. Give Back

In 1994 the computer magnate donated some of his Microsoft stock to create the William H. Gates Foundation, which later in 2000 converged into the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which is the wealthiest charitable foundation by endowment ($51.6 billion USD). He also contributed to other foundations and causes: in 1999 he donated 20 million dollars to MIT for the construction of a computer laboratory. He also made contributions Harvard and Stanford. He participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge to raise awareness on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and drank water that was produced from human faeces in 2014, to bring attention to the problem of global sanitation problems. He has recently donated 50 million dollars to research Alzheimer’s and multiple amounts to other foundations. He and his wife also declared that they will leave as inheritance only 10 million dollars each to their three children and give away the rest of their wealth.

Give back: money, knowledge, kindness, experience. Create positive change in people around you and built a better future.

The transformational leadership of Bill Gates can inspire all of us. To be better leaders, to be better human beings.

Check more inspiring stories here and here to start your day with a glimpse of joy!

Have a great inspiring day,

Andrew