Microsoft Secrets by Dave Jaworski
Microsoft Secrets: An Insider's View of the Rocket Ride from Worst to First and Lessons Learned on the Journey is a book by Tools of the Trade's own Dave Jaworski, a former Microsoft executive who witnessed the company's transformation from an underdog to a leader in the technology industry. The book reveals some of the secrets behind Microsoft's success, such as its culture, strategy, leadership, innovation, and competition. It also shares some of the lessons learned by Jaworski and his colleagues on their journey.
The book is divided into three parts: The Rise, The Fall, and The Rebirth. In each part, Jaworski tells stories from his personal experience at Microsoft, as well as anecdotes and insights from other insiders. He also provides analysis and commentary on how Microsoft dealt with various challenges and opportunities along the way.
The Rise covers the period from 1986 to 1995, when Microsoft went from being a small software company to a dominant force in the PC industry. Jaworski describes how Microsoft developed its vision of "a computer on every desk and in every home", how it created its core products such as Windows and Office, how it fostered a culture of empowerment and excellence among its employees, how it leveraged partnerships and alliances with other companies, and how it competed fiercely with rivals such as IBM and Apple.
The Fall covers the period from 1995 to 2005, when Microsoft faced several setbacks and crises that threatened its position and reputation. Jaworski explains how Microsoft struggled with antitrust lawsuits, security breaches, quality issues, customer dissatisfaction, internal politics, market changes, new competitors such as Google and Amazon, and missed opportunities such as mobile devices and social media. He also reveals some of the mistakes made by Microsoft's leaders and managers during this time.
The Rebirth covers the period from 2005 to 2017 (the year when the book was published), when Microsoft reinvented itself under new leadership and direction. Jaworski discusses how Microsoft adopted a new mission of "empowering every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more", how it reorganized its structure and strategy around cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI), how it revitalized its culture of growth mindset and diversity among its employees, how it rebuilt trust and loyalty with its customers, how it collaborated and innovated with other companies, and how it faced new challenges and opportunities in the digital era.
The book concludes with some reflections and recommendations by Jaworski for current and future leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals who want to learn from Microsoft's secrets and apply them to their own endeavors. He also shares some personal stories and insights about his family, his faith, his mentors, his hobbies, and his passions.
Microsoft Secrets is an engaging and informative read for anyone who is interested in the history, the culture, the strategy, the innovation, or the competition of one of the most influential companies in the world. It is also a valuable resource for anyone who wants to understand how to succeed in a fast-changing and competitive environment.
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Buy it here: Microsoft Secrets
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