Let’s ask TriStrategist, what should be the top three traits of the new CEO for Microsoft in order to revive this lack-luster tech giant?

1. A brilliant talent leader. 

Microsoft (MSFT) is no lacking of world’s top talents in technologies. The CEO him/herself does not need to be a super technical talent oneself (well, he/she does need to have certain technical knowledge and know-how in order to be respected at MSFT), but he/she must be a brilliant talent leader and manager. Effectively, truly effectively, organizing (including cleaning up) and motivating the vast talent pool inside the company, and continuing to attract world’s best talents (one of MSFT’s long tradition) should be the No.1 priority for the new CEO. It is the “collective genius” that will have the best innovative ideas and execute the best course of actions in global competition that will ensure MSFT to find its new branding and leadership position in technology world again. Make Microsoft a place that all top talents love to contribute with focused actions, and then the company will find its shine once more in no time.

2. One with superb intuition and common sense.

The new CEO does not necessarily to be a technology visionary oneself to decide on the next big-bet for Microsoft. He or she just needs the superb intuition and superior common sense. Ideas can come from the talents inside and out. The difficulties for top leaders are often to decide which idea and which course to focus on at a certain time and under certain global market conditions. Using long-term perspectives and great intuitions as the guide will generally lead to the best choices. Often that’s called a leader with the right visions.  For all other organizational issues, use common sense – the wise, sharp and right ones. Well, the organizational issues inside MSFT at the current stage are definitely not easy tasks either.  It will certainly test the skills and senses of the new CEO.  

3. A masterful balancer of the Wall Street, the Board and the people inside and out.

The new CEO needs to be a skillful leader with extraordinary nerves as a balancer.  The current big challenges for Microsoft are not only on the lackluster technology innovations and organizational inefficiency, but also on dealing with the external forces. Years of stagnation of the stock price have created many agitated investors. Current society’s impatience and short-term profit colored lenses will also add tons of pressure to the CEO.  The board will be hard to please with diverse people on different agenda. New CEO either from outside with no foundation inside the company or someone from within carrying their own political ties and baggage will all face the people issue: inside, a huge company of many strong, but diluted people; outside, Microsoft’s numerous partners and stakeholders will request a say as well. The balancing act will be a hard requirement for anyone to come as a new CEO.

On the other side, there are certain red-flag areas that must be carefully watched with due-diligence in selecting a new CEO.  To our opinion, a few important ones should be: 

  – Avoid anyone with either culture or gender bias:  Microsoft’s survival will be on the global technology stage, not in the US alone. True diversity will be the key to win the hearts and minds of the people on the globe;

   – Avoid anyone who is only a “Number’s guy”: This is not a company or business which depends on penny-pinching and that’ll be a huge waste of the talents’ minds to put that as a focus. It didn’t work in the past and should not be the future focus unless the business was truly mismanaged.

   – Choose a true leader, not a follower. A true leader is an independent thinker and doer, especially when facing the totally new and unknown, which are coming with increasing occurrences in today’s fast changing world.