Five Strategies Microsoft Got Right…And What It Teaches
Directions on Microsoft published an interesting list this week - Five Strategies Microsoft Got Right. I wont steal their thunder by adding all the details but here are the chosen 5
- Software Is King
- Outsource Your Sales Force
- Technology for the Masses
- Developers, Developers, Developers!
- The Long View
It’s a pretty good list. In fact it’s a very good list and I can’t think of anything I would replace in that list. Perhaps a #6 would be hiring smart people across the whole organization. That’s one thing that never ceases to amaze me is the calibre of talent.
Some of the 5 are pretty obvious but one people often overlook is #5. Microsoft does take a very very long view and invests in an incredible amount of research and diligence around those investments. Some would argue too much and that hampers nimbleness which I could agree with…but the long view is something I really admire about the company.
People will concentrate on the 5 but what is a more useful list in many ways is what it teaches according to DOMIS
- Lesson #1: Question the rules. Change the game.
- Lesson #2: Create win-win partner situations to grow fast
- Lesson #3: Don’t neglect your customers’ most important need: a better price
- Lesson #4: Make it easy for partners to customize your product.
- Lesson #5: Business isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. Be persistent.