Leadership Illawarra Program
  • Home
  • OVERVIEW
    • About LIP
    • FAQs
    • What We Need From You
    • How Can Leadership Illawarra Benefit Your Organisation?
  • Testimonials
  • 2025-2026 Applications
  • Blog
  • News
    • In The News
    • Media Releases
    • Photo Gallery >
      • 2023-2024 Cohort
      • 2021-2022 Cohort
      • 2018-2020 Cohort
      • 2016-2018 Cohort >
        • 2016-18 Graduation Dinner
        • 2016-2018 Cohort Edmen Group
        • 2016-2018 Cohort Mercer Visit
        • 2016-2018 Cohort Mercer Visit
        • Visit to Parliament House
      • 2014-2016 Cohort >
        • 2014-2016 Graduation
        • 2014-2016 Farewell Lunch
        • 2016 Green Acres M2M Challenge
        • NSW Parliament House Visit
        • Canberra Visit
        • Microsoft Head Office Visit
        • IMB Visit
        • The Illawarra Connection
        • IRT Kemira Visit
      • 2012-2014 Cohort
  • Contact
  • ALUMNI

BLOG.

visit to microsoft

28/8/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
 By Michael McKeogh
 
The Leadership Illawarra Program cohort had the privilege of visiting the Microsoft office in Sydney where we heard from some of the Microsoft leadership team and observed firsthand their own brand of working environment and leadership.
 
There were three main areas of innovation that stood out:

  • a focus on recruiting people with the right attitude rather than skills based;
  • outcomes based workplace which allows flexible working arrangements; and
  • there are no dedicated offices or desks.
 
Leadership at Microsoft has evolved as a result of a cultural renewal program implemented over 15-years. The first few years of cultural renewal focused on higher levels of management and when they were clear on what was to be achieved, it then cascaded throughout the organisation.
 
Some of the change was brought about by:
  • rewarding people for right behaviour;
  • questioning old behaviour; and
  • A move to become more customer-centric.
 
New company values were accepted and adopted. The new values include:
  • Integrity and honesty;
  • genuine curiosity;
  • always assuming good intention;
  • inclusive leadership;
  • think about not only what you're delivering, but how;
  • collaboration is critical when employing people;
  • the “people” competencies became seriously important for all staff;
  • importance of Community outreach;
  • mentoring and coaching ;and
  • flexible working arrangements.
 
As part of the process, Microsoft changed the way it recruited people, so it became far more about the attitude of the person than their skills.
 
The impact of each employee’s work is assessed, rather than their level of activity. “Busy work” does not count; for example, attending sixty meetings isn’t necessarily rewarded. The result of each meeting is what is important.  All about impact. Results based.
 
The new system allows for changes in the work environment. Staff are able to work hours that fit in with the business and their personal lives, provided results are achieved.
 
Good results are publicly acknowledged. At Microsoft, each person is a part of a team, and it is the team’s result that is measured overall and then the person’s performance within that team. The outcome of the work teams is rewarded, as well as individual performance. This requires close collaboration rather than having individuals going off and doing their own thing. You can't pretend to be a good leader, you must be committed to it. They employ leaders that want to see their people develop and attract and retain the right staff by:

  • applying activity and results based work;
  • having flexible work hours;
  • work being measured by results, not time spent in office; 
  • acknowledge people have different requirements and therefore need to be treated as individuals; 
  • having no fixed desks or offices;
  • recruiting staff to represent a range of cultures and communities; 
  • encouraging diversity in teams;
  • providing a strong focus on mentoring and coaching; and
  • Ensuring staff feel valued at work.
 
The cohort appreciated the insightful and innovative presentation and hospitality provided by Microsoft and each of us went away considering how some of these work practices could be applied in our own work environments.

0 Comments

    Author

    Blog posts written by the Leadership Illawarra Program.

    Archives

    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    November 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    January 2017
    June 2016
    March 2016
    November 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    December 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Leadership Illawarra Program is hosted by Regional Development Australia Illawarra Shoalhaven (RDAIS).

Privacy Policy



  • Home
  • OVERVIEW
    • About LIP
    • FAQs
    • What We Need From You
    • How Can Leadership Illawarra Benefit Your Organisation?
  • Testimonials
  • 2025-2026 Applications
  • Blog
  • News
    • In The News
    • Media Releases
    • Photo Gallery >
      • 2023-2024 Cohort
      • 2021-2022 Cohort
      • 2018-2020 Cohort
      • 2016-2018 Cohort >
        • 2016-18 Graduation Dinner
        • 2016-2018 Cohort Edmen Group
        • 2016-2018 Cohort Mercer Visit
        • 2016-2018 Cohort Mercer Visit
        • Visit to Parliament House
      • 2014-2016 Cohort >
        • 2014-2016 Graduation
        • 2014-2016 Farewell Lunch
        • 2016 Green Acres M2M Challenge
        • NSW Parliament House Visit
        • Canberra Visit
        • Microsoft Head Office Visit
        • IMB Visit
        • The Illawarra Connection
        • IRT Kemira Visit
      • 2012-2014 Cohort
  • Contact
  • ALUMNI