Recommended by: WiseSuit Staff  

Who hasn't heard of Bill Gates? As one of the most successful entrepreneurs of the computer revolution, from humble programmer to co-founder and CEO of Microsoft, one of the few philanthropists in the technical world, and one of the richest, some may see similarities between Bill Gates and Andrew Carnegie, and with good reason-Bill Gates studied both Andrew Carnie and John D. Rockefeller.

As one motivated by the concerns of others, it comes as no surprise that in his book, Bill Gates would analyze the consequences of the release of Information Technology onto the economy, society, administration, and life. And whether you like or dislike those consequences are not of consequence. Basically, according to Bill Gates, it is already too late. Here's what he says in the book:

To function in the digital age, we have developed a new digital infrastructure. It's like the human nervous system. Companies need to have that same kind of nervous system--the ability to run smoothly and efficiently, to respond quickly to emergencies and opportunities, to quickly get valuable information to the people in the company who need it, the ability to quickly make decisions and interact with customers.

Don't worry; the book also lists twelve steps to make this work:

1. Insist that communication flow through email
2. Study sales data online to share insights easily
3. Shift knowledge workers into high-level thinking
4. Use digital tools to create virtual team shift knowledge workers
5. Convert every paper process to a digital process
6. Use digital tools to eliminate single-task jobs
7. Create a digital feedback loop
8. Use digital systems to route customer complaints immediately
9. Use digital communication to redefine the boundaries
10. Transform every business process into just-in-time delivery
11. Use digital delivery to eliminate the middle man
12. Use digital tools to help customers solve problems for themselves

Here's Bill Gates has to say about the reasoning in point #1: Insist that communication flow through email:

Personal initiative and responsibility are enhanced in an environment that fosters discussion. E-mail, a key component of our digital nervous system, does just that... That's why, when customers ask what's the first thing they can do to get more value out of their information systems and foster collaboration in their companies, I always answer, "E-mail."

What some have to say about this book:

The main objective then becomes to liberate thinking in business by entrusting machines with collecting and analyzing data, with the help of some human friends. When this thinking is finally liberated, business can use the speed of thought to increase its efficiency, its transformation and its progress. The general idea is that failure, slump or recession is never anything else but the inability to seize the day in these technological times.

About the Author:

William Henry Gates III, born October 28, 1955, is the co-founder and Chairman of Microsoft, and founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Forbes magazine ranked him as the richest person in the world for twelve consecutive years.

Categories:  Leadership ,  Biography