The Daily Growth Blog #6/365 | Being more open, hitting our own ‘Refresh’ (Microsoft & Satya inspired)
I think this man is one of the greatest leaders of all time. He not only led Microsoft at a crucial juncture in its journey, but changed the brand story of a behemoth through simple, thoughtful and practical steps. He didn’t go overboard with massive, life-altering changes right from the word go but changed how Microsoft was perceived by the world, all around them.
What did Satya do?
While he’s done a lot of amazing things in his time there, one of the top initiatives he’s advocated for, and managed to change drastically is the goal of creating a more ‘open’ Microsoft.
Some of the initiatives that stand out are the integration with Linux, joining the Open Source Initiative, investing heavily into OpenAI, acquiring GitHub, open sourcing many of Microsoft’s own technologies (.NET Framework) and continuing to contribute to many open source platforms, globally. With the launch of Windows 11, and the addition of Android Apps to the Microsoft Store, Satya has brought Microsoft to the forefront of openness in the world of technology. In one of his recent interviews he shared his inclination to even integrate with iOS and the AppStore if Apple would allow for such openness.
For a long time, a lot of large tech players only focused on creating proprietary software services, platforms and products that could only be used within their ecosystem. Apple still continues to play that strategy while opening up an app or two to the general non-Apple public, every now and then. (Apple Music on Android still doesn’t have the same smoothness that it does on iOS though).
So what’s did Satya see and why did he decide to start working on transforming Microsoft’s vision and direction?
He got something many leaders (in the corporate and non-corporate world) don’t. Being open is one of the sure shot ways of welcoming abundance into our own lives. As I write this, Microsoft just became the most valuable company in the world. Welcome testament to Satya’s vision then?
So what can we, mere mortals, learn from this? Be open. How? Here are some random views based on my own perspectives and learnings.
#1 — Open in our thought process
It is imperative that we become more open in how we think about people, places, situations and experiences. Creating a really broad mind, not judging other people and being curious about the how and why in the world around us will make us better thinking beings.
People are more open with us when we are open to them. When people are open with us, we are able to learn more from them and gain more knowledge. Yes, keeping the right set of people around us is also an important goal to strive for, but an open thought process will allow us to let in more types of people and experiences into our lives. This, in turn, allows us to lead fuller, deeper lives than we’d live if we were closed in our mindset.
#2 — Open in our actions
Whenever we act, if we decided to take a more open stance towards situations, we’d have a better response to those situations. For instance, let’s say someone asks us to do something for them. Yes, it is a bother, we don’t really have the time but the friend who asked us is really in need and couldn’t have asked any one else. When we act for them, if we do it with an open mind, letting in learning and goodwill, we will grow as we perform that action.
Even if it’s a simple thing like taking someone to hospital or taking care of their dog when they’re off for a vacation. Enjoying the activity openly, without worrying, really opens up a lot of avenues for self-development.
We start doing things with a certain love and meaning in our lives. Creates a sense of wonder too. It’s quite amazing.
#3 — Open in how we behave with the world around us
Yes, there are mad people around us, yes they will hurt us and yes, at times, we will not understand why people react the way they do. But what we can do is allow for people to be a bit weird, and in our behaviour with the world around us, we can be slightly more understanding and accommodating.
How does this help?
Quite obvious, isn’t it? It helps us stay chilled out, calm and happy, even. If our behaviour becomes open, we will start to become more self-confident, self-reliant and self-aware. All three things help us become more ‘mindful’ and less irritable when faced with adversity.
#4 — Open in sharing when we feel vulnerable
There will be times in life when we are pushed out of our comfort zone. If we’re in a phase of extreme growth, this will be our ‘new normal’ for longer periods of time because growth (mentally, emotionally or physically) only happens when we go through extreme discomfort. Vulnerability lies at the core of discomfort. We feel overwhelmed and we feel we’ll fail in whatever we’ve set out to do. We feel scared, and nervous.
In such times, it is okay for us to lean on people we count as our advisors, our support group. Being vulnerable is okay. Share freely. Yes, we shouldn’t go on and on about how miserable we feel but just letting some friend or partner or parent know that you’re feeling a bit nervous about an upcoming job interview or a client pitch or a date with your boyfriend/girlfriend, is super okay.
We should feel okay sharing when we are not feeling as strong as we usually are. The world will send all its love to us and make us feel (slightly) better.
Once I had a really bad interview experience. The interviewer almost laughed towards the end as he said goodbye and take care. I felt a bit humiliated. I couldn’t share this with my near & dear ones but I had a random networking e-meet with someone I’d never met before. This lady turned out to be a twenty-year veteran in the recruitment industry. As we said ‘Hi’ and I asked her how she was, she said she’d had a very bad call right before this call where a client had been really rude. I asked her to share more and she spent the next 10–15 minutes sharing her experience and we talked about how some people have forgotten how to be empathetic. I then shared my interview experience with her and we laughed. I was okay right away. It felt so good.
I’ll probably never meet her again but just the fact that I was able to openly share something and be vulnerable, without fear of judgment, was the best medicine for my pain and anger. I was cured!
So wonderful!
#5 — Open to the world changing around us
Finally, I have to say this out loud because I’ve seen many people around me — family and friends — become more and more disillusioned with the world around them because they’re not able to handle change. Quite a few folks I know of are stuck in the past, unable to understand what’s happening around them and are becoming sadder as each day passes them by. Why, you ask? Because they’re not okay with the world around them changing at the pace that it is transforming.
If there’s one thing that is certain and constant, it is the concept of ‘change’. Change will happen. It is inevitable. And it will happen to us, as well. We’ll be important one day and the next day no one will ask about us. We will be the centre of the universe of our friends or colleagues one day and the next day, they’d have moved on to other interests, leaving us ‘behind’. Do they really leave us ‘behind’ or we just hold on too long?
Being able to adapt, pivot and transform ourselves as the world around us changes, is the only way to evolve. Quite literally (and biologically). If we accept this, we can accept the world around us. And we’d be a whole lot happier with everyone living, growing and being great at what they do.
All said and done, I believe in what Satya has been able to achieve for his organization and I do believe there’s a lot to be achieved in our own lives by being more open, more loving and more caring towards the world around us. There’s always scope for more when we welcome thoughts of abundance — in spirit and in our being.
Rock it!