How does Gates motivate his employees?

How does Bill Gates motivate his employees?

1. Failure Teaches Resiliency:

"It's fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure." - Bill Gates.

Employee deserves recognition for great work, but mistakes should be recognized, and when an employee or co-worker makes a mistake. it may be a small failure, but it must also be acknowledged, not swept under the rug, so it can be turned into a gain. Microsoft has made countless mistakes. They've put out software that wasn't ready or that was fragile against hackers, but they learn from their mistakes and do their best to make the software better.

2. Understand Your Ego:

"Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose." - Bill Gates.

Take a look at how you might be coasting. Some bands make a whole career out of just one hit. One hit wonders. They think that they can just ride out the wave and not come up with anything else new. If you want to separate from the pack and become the success that your mother had hoped for, then stop believing your own hype and keep those ideas coming.

3. Unhappy Customers Help You Improve:

"Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning."  - Bill Gates.

The customers that don’t complain are ones that don’t care enough about the company to come back and buy again. They will just take their money to someone else that listens.

4. Treat Everyone With Respect:

"Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one." - Bill Gates.

Be nice to nerds, your secretary, the supervisor in the next building, and the co-worker that just doesn’t know when to shut-up. Whoever you are dealing with, they could one day become your superior. If you were a jerk to them, they won’t do you any favours when you need them the most.

5. Step Back And Look At The Bigger Picture:

"Until we’re educating every kid in a fantastic way, until every inner city is cleaned up, there is no shortage of things to do." - Bill Gates.

Work is great, especially when we have a good year and the boss loves our production, but work in itself shouldn't be our whole lives. Bill Gates understands that he may be the richest man in the world, but if he doesn't help others lift themselves out of tough circumstances, he hasn't lived to his full potential. We need to give back to the people that are less fortunate than us. 

References:

Sourcesofinsight.com. 2013. Lessons Learned from Bill Gates : Sources of Insight. [online] Available at: http://sourcesofinsight.com/lessons-learned-from-bill-gates/ [Accessed: 27 Sep 2013].