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Masters of Scale

Microsoft’s Satya Nadella: Why we need re-founders

Masters of Scale

WaitWhat

Startups, Business, Mindset, Management, Bob Safian, Entrepreneurship, Diversity & Inclusion, Reid Hoffman, Jeff Berman

4.64.4K Ratings

🗓️ 13 September 2022

⏱️ 43 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

To achieve massive scale, you don’t just need founders, you also need a re-founder – someone to come in at a later stage to keep the mission and culture on track. As Microsoft’s third CEO ever — after Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer — Satya Nadella is doing just that. He’s fostered a culture at Microsoft that rewards new ideas and makes room for feedback. Satya discusses how, as Chairman and CEO, he has transformed Microsoft from a cutthroat culture towards embracing social networks, collaboration, and cloud. Plus, Satya and Reid reminisce about the early conversations that led to Microsoft’s acquisition of LinkedIn. With guest David Mandel, showrunner of Veep.

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Transcript

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0:00.0

Real leaders don't back down when the stakes are high. They innovate. They push forward,

0:07.5

and then they take the stage at the Masters of Scale Summit.

0:11.6

Join us in San Francisco, October 7th to 9th to hear from the CEO of the New York Times,

0:17.1

scientists using cutting-edge technology to find cures, the leader of crypto powerhouse

0:22.0

Coinbase, a retired four-star general, and many, many more.

0:26.7

Apply now at mastersofscale.com slash apply 25.

0:31.7

That's masters of scale.com slash apply 25.

0:36.9

Your company's data is everywhere in systems, in silos and across teams. But if your

0:42.8

AI can't reach it, then that data isn't working for you. Every business has unique data,

0:48.0

what really makes a difference is how you use it. IBM helps your AI access your data wherever

0:53.4

it lives to change how you do business.

0:56.6

Let's create smarter business, IBM.

1:00.7

If you'd asked me even the day before or the hour before, I would have said, hey, there's a

1:06.0

chance, but I don't know.

1:07.5

Who was interviewing?

1:08.8

Who wanted the job?

1:10.3

There was a lot of, I'd say, intrigue around it.

1:17.5

That is Satchia Nadella, and he's talking about the moment in 2014 when it seemed he might

1:22.6

become the next CEO of Microsoft. Sartja had been with a company for more than 20 years,

1:29.3

but even down to the last minute, his promotion was far from certain.

1:35.3

I remember where one board member asked me, do you really want to be a CEO?

1:39.3

I said, only if you want me to be the CEO.

...

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