Hit Refresh

“Once you become a VP, the whining is over. Constraints are real and will always be witrh us, but leaders are the champions of overcoming constraints. They make things happen.”

I was interested in reading Hit Refresh to gain more insight into how Microsoft transformed its business and executed it’s cloud-first, open-source, and AI strategies after Satya Nadella assumed his role as Microsoft’s third CEO in over forty years.

In his book, Nadella reflects on his personal journey, from his childhood in India to his ascent within Microsoft, and how his experiences have shaped his vision for the company. He emphasizes the importance of empathy, a key value he believes is essential for the rejuvenation of Microsoft’s corporate culture and its ability to innovate in a rapidly changing technology landscape. The first half of the book had some nice personal anecdotes and insights into how to think about leadership. The second half of the book reads more like a Microsoft press release. In it, Nadella explores the future of technology, including artificial intelligence, mixed reality, and quantum computing, and how these advancements can be harnessed to address some of society’s most pressing challenges.