Reflections on My Career at Microsoft
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Reflections on My Career at Microsoft
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Re: Reflections on My Career at Microsoft
#2sorry bill
Re: Reflections on My Career at Microsoft
#3This part feels like it applies to every tech company I've ever worked at, especially in the context of all the high profile "repeat sex offender is quietly escorted out of the building with a payout" scandals at big SV tech firms in the last decade:
"Treating the culpables as untouchable sends a message to the current offenders that these behaviors are in bounds and those who practice them suffer no lingering effects. It does nothing to stop the fiscal regularity of companywide memos condemning ongoing sexism, racism and bullying. It does nothing to stop the revolving door of the majority of new college hires leaving the moment their signing bonuses become permanent. It does nothing to stop the cycle of sucking up to those in power in an effort to gain power for oneself."
Re: Reflections on My Career at Microsoft
#4As a woman who worked at MSFT through the Ballmer era, I have to agree with this whole article. It really nailed it.
Especially this part near the end where I never felt it would get better:
"But my former female colleagues who reviewed this document in advance of its publication are unconvinced. None of them report feeling emboldened by the new Microsoft. They continue to withhold reports of discriminatory management practices. They relate stories of reports of abuse going unpunished and continue to fear reprisals for speaking out. In fact, multiple reviewers noted, independently, the irony that the only reason I am comfortable enough to speak out is that I am a “50-year old white dude” and, thus, girded against reprisal from the body politic. So they remain silent when, in fact, they are among the voices Microsoft needs to hear the most. Apparently, Microsoft has dipped only a single toe in the river that flows to the future."
Re: Reflections on My Career at Microsoft
#5Says the made-man who stood in the way...
Seriously though, these sort of transitions take time, and people always underestimate just how much time. This is a huge cultural transition and you can't just fire all of the made-men one morning and usher in the new leaders to take there place. There is a real transition that has to happen on multiple levels and rushing it risks putting people in place that aren't yet up to speed.
I'm honestly surprised at just how fast it happening. And it is happening -- and quickly.
Re: Reflections on My Career at Microsoft
#6[deleted]
Re: Reflections on My Career at Microsoft
#7As a woman who worked at MSFT through the Ballmer era, I have to agree with this whole article. It really nailed it. Especially this part near the end where I never felt it would get better: "But my former female colleagues who reviewed this document in advance of its publication are unconvinced. None of them report feeling emboldened by the new Microsoft. They continue to withhold reports of discriminatory managemen…
According to Satya Nadella, the system is "long term efficient", so it'll all work itself out eventually
https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/10/10/microsoft-ceo...
Re: Reflections on My Career at Microsoft
#8An interesting article, which I think accurately describes my brief time at Microsoft during the Ballmer era (our startup was acquired after the bubble burst).
But his definition of "made men" seems very vague and very convenient. The people who Nadella appointed to higher positions were almost entirely people who had been at Microsoft for many years. Why are some "made men" and some are not? The definition seems primarily about whether or not the author liked them personally.
Re: Reflections on My Career at Microsoft
#9"Toxic masculinity" - this is a perfectly skippable article guys.
Re: Reflections on My Career at Microsoft
#10>The Microsoft of the 2000s, under Steve Ballmer, was almost exactly the opposite (of gates).
>Bruised and battered by the consent decree handed down by the DoJ for the very same ambition that brought it to dominance, Ballmer’s Microsoft was sales-forward and CAUTIOUS.
>It was... nervously clutching its pearls at the approach of Google in its rearview mirror
People bash Steve Ballmer for missing Search, Social Networking, Smart phones, Tablets and one other thing. They claim he had his head far up his rear end to see the competiton. He's called a buffoon and other names but ignore the fact that...
Microsoft was Caged. Had it's wings clipped. Had a huge target on its back. In case you did't know, any complaint by say Google in its early days and Microsoft would have been broken up!
This is the real reason behind's Ballmer's failure.
Gates hated politics, kept Washington at arms length and that cost them. In fact, if Gates had lobbied just a little bit, there would have been no case at all.
And that's why Google's lobbying like crazy cos it's life actually depends on it.