when Satya Nadella Becoming CEO of Microsoft in 2014, he inherited one of the world’s largest technology companies. But despite Microsoft’s success, Nadella believes the company needs a different way of thinking to stay ahead in the long term.He believes that people should not feel like they know everything, but should be encouraged to be curious, ask questions and keep learning.“We need to move from being a know-it-all to being a know-it-all,” Nadella said, describing the culture he hopes to build at Microsoft.“If you take two kids to school, one has more innate ability but is a jack of all trades. The other has less innate ability but is a jack of all trades. People who know everything do better than people who know everything,” Nadella said on the Hello Monday podcast back in 2019.More than a decade after becoming CEO, Nadella’s “know-it-all” philosophy remains one of the most closely associated with his leadership. It guided Microsoft’s transformation into one of the world’s most valuable technology companies and continues to shape how the company approaches artificial intelligence.
Curiosity won’t kill the cat
For Nadella, being a know-it-all doesn’t mean knowing less. It’s about accepting that no one has all the answers, especially in an industry that changes as quickly as technology.Microsoft’s CEO often says that curiosity helps people adapt, solve problems and discover better ideas. Nadella believes that employees who continue to learn are more likely to grow as technology changes and not be left behind.This idea still holds true, especially as artificial intelligence changes the workplace and many people feel threatened. Artificial intelligence tools are changing the way people write, code, analyze data and make decisions. In such an environment, learning new skills may be more important than relying solely on experience.
Books that influenced his thinking
Nadella credits psychologist Carol Dweck’s research on “growth mindset” as the inspiration and catalyst for his leadership style. Dweck believes that ability is never fixed and can be improved through hard work, learning, and persistence. Dweck believes that successful people in business, sports, and the arts started out as ordinary people, but they believed they could learn and become better.This concept also appears in Nadella’s 2017 book “Hit Refresh.” In the book, he describes how embracing a growth mindset helped change Microsoft’s culture after years of internal competition.“At the heart of our business must be curiosity and a desire to use great technology to meet the unspecified and unmet needs of our customers,” he wrote.
A warning about success
Nadella also warned that success can sometimes become a hindrance if people stop learning after reaching a certain level.“Success causes people to forget the habits that made them successful in the first place,” he says, reminding professionals that staying curious is often more valuable than becoming comfortable.
