My top 10 learnings of the last 10 years

A lot can happen in 10 years.

I joined Microsoft on 6 July 2010 and it is safe to say I have seen a lot of change in the last decade – both in the workplace as well as in the wider marketplace. There have been challenging times and there have been absolutely wonderful times. While it may have been 10 years on the calendar, I feel I have gained 20 years’ worth of experiences during my time here.

To quote Bill Gates, we often overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten.

So, as I reflect back on the last decade, I want to share ten observations on changes in both the long term and the short:

1. The role of technology has changed and expanded – as Satya Nadella once said, every company is now a software company. Technology is the baseline for every type or business, government or organization. The pandemic has, if anything, accelerated this trend even further. Helping organizations reimagine how they see themselves is extremely rewarding.

2. If you build culture, growth will come – they say culture eats strategy for breakfast and in my own experience at Microsoft, I have found this to be absolutely true. From technology investments to skilling initiatives, every strategic decision has to be accompanied by a mindset shift which allows and empowers employees to ask questions, exercise their own judgement and drive change. Making this shift – and making it work in practice – is one of the most difficult steps a leader has to take, but it is also one of the most important.

3. Diverse, inclusive teams make for better leaders – I’ve been fortunate enough to work in and with many different cultures and I have learned from every single one of them. The most important lesson? Unlearn previous habits first, even the ones which worked well for you in the past. It’s hard to do but more important than you think. There is always room to discover something new and do something differently.

4. Purpose unites us – while there is always a commercial imperative in business, it’s important to always keep the big picture in mind. On our 40+ years long journey we learned how powerful it is to have and follow a strong idea that focuses our actions. Clarity on our commitment to help change the world for the better is incredibly inspiring for us as well as for our customers. I know many colleagues are inspired by our purpose, as am I.

5. Impact, not activity, is the true measure of success – in a rapidly evolving workplace, it no longer makes sense to evaluate work by activity alone. Today, we have to focus on outcomes, such as project success and team collaboration, not on inputs, such as time spent at your desk or traditional 9-5ism.

6. Fact-based thinking helps us cut through the noise – when we let evidence guide us rather than assumptions or guesses, we are better equipped to put our actions in context; make the right decisions; leverage insights and best practices from others; and focus on the right picture. Importantly, it is less about one or another colleague’s beliefs or position, and more about the external impacts we can achieve; which is a refreshing way to approach decision-making.

7. People hold the key to success – your team is the best asset you can invest in. Microsoft has won a number of Best Employer awards over the years and I believe that is a testament to how much we care about creating the best environment for each other. I have found that getting input from the teams around me has been (sometimes painfully) invaluable to create the best possible working environment, set the right direction and course correct. Feedback – good or bad – is something I prioritize getting and take very seriously when I have it.  

8. Learning is a mindset, not an exercise – at Microsoft, we have started to shift from a ‘know-it-all’ culture to one that strives to ‘learn-it-all’; because we have realized that just as there is no end to change, there is no end to learning.

9. Work-life balance is more important than ever before – increased flexibility in the world of work has delivered many benefits but it has also blurred the lines between work and home. Taking care of your own wellness and being intentional about creating the right boundaries between work and play (and acknowledging that this is something very individual) are essential to counteract the effects of being ‘always on’.

10. It takes a village – we are all shaped by the mentorship we receive. In my case, I have been incredibly fortunate that Klaus Holse Andersen, Phillip Vandervoort, Elke Jorens and Sherif Seddik gave me this great opportunity 10 years ago – and many leaders have continued to create opportunities for me since then. In addition, many more of my team mates have done all the hard work out in the market to make us successful. Thank you!

My career in the last decade has been a fantastic set of adventures, made better every day by the people I have worked with along the way.

To all my colleagues, thank you - I can’t wait to see what new learnings the next ten years will hold.