Much has already been said about the life, career, and leadership of Bill Gates. For example, he is known for his calm, humane leadership style, which, incidentally, should not be confused with a lack of fanaticism.
Netflix launched a new series in mid-September called "Inside Bill's Brain; Decoding Bill Gates," which centers on Bill, his wife Melinda, and their Foundation, offering a personal glimpse into his life and, especially, his business and philanthropic commitment.
The series offers a lot of inspiration on leadership, and we are happy to share it. Here are 5 lessons from the series.
Read, read and read again
It cannot be a coincidence that many world leaders are known as bookworms. Elon Musk reportedly read up to 10 hours a day in the past. Nelson Mandela was also a recognized reader.
It is a characteristic that also becomes clearly apparent in Gates during the series. He reads about 50 books a year, on all kinds of subjects that interest him or that his Foundation invests in, for example, energy.
By reading widely, you continue to learn constantly, broaden your personal horizons, and maintain a broad education, which is very important for a leader.
Only a people person can be an inspiring leader
That is quite a statement. But we believe in it blindly. Someone driven by financial motives can be a great entrepreneur and inspiring, but will not be an inspiring leader in the long term. Of course, Bill Gates hasn't always been that either.
When Gates started Microsoft, it was perhaps primarily to build a successful company. His philanthropic inspiration only emerged over the years.
However, at heart, the person is very close to Gates' heart. That drives him and his wife to dedicate themselves to all kinds of major projects aimed at improving the world.
Think big
We too often allow ourselves to be limited by all kinds of barriers and boundaries that we erect for ourselves, or that are talked into our heads by others. For instance, many people have ambitions to become entrepreneurs, but are talked out of it by friends, family, or other acquaintances.
Because the risk is so great, should you really do it?
By thinking big and having big dreams, you can truly change the world. Consider Elon Musk with Tesla, or his space program SpaceX? Bill and Melinda Gates are also tackling themes that everyone else considers impossible, such as completely eradicating polio from the world.
Or solving the energy crisis for good. Not everything is possible, but by continuing to think big and daring to invest big, you can bring about real change.
Be competitive
A human and calm approach to leadership should absolutely not be confused with a lack of fanaticism. On the contrary: if anything becomes clear from the series about Gates, it is that he wants to be the best at everything. Always.
Ever since his youth. Competitive drive: it is an indispensable quality for top entrepreneurs and leaders.
The challenge of excelling at something and proving wrong those who did not believe in it. But once again: we must not link fanaticism and a competitive drive to aggressive and authoritarian management, or adopting an arrogant attitude.
Unfortunately, this link is often made in practice. Leaders like Gates prove that this is unjustified.
Follow your own vision
Having your own vision: it sounds like a no-brainer, but it isn't. Only a few people have a substantive opinion of their own that they stick to, even when put under pressure.
A great example from the Bill Gates series concerns nuclear energy.
While the rest of the world largely opposes nuclear energy due to public perception and a number of disasters, the Gates family and their foundation see modern applications of nuclear energy as a possible solution to the energy crisis.
In doing so, they follow their well-founded opinion and are not misled by opponents and critics.
