Contents

• Introduction
• The Character of the Leader: Bill Gates
• The importance of Strategic Leadership in establishing and sustaining an effective culture
• Effect of top management teams on the organisation’s performance
• Effect of Strategic Leadership on Developing Human Capital in an Organisation
• The influence of the Leader on the development of organisational practices – are they ethical as well as practical?
• The Influence of the Leadership on Organisational Controls
• Conclusions and Recommendations
• Identify the theorists/theories you have borrowed from to support your arguments and give reasons for your use of their work
• References

Description

William Henry Gates III is the Microsoft Cofounder, a famous philanthropist and also a renowned businessman. He laid the foundation of Microsoft and is better known as the architect of this successful company. It’s because of his dynamic leadership skills and management strategies, he has been able to establish the company in more than 85 countries with a maximum reach of 55, 000 employees, all over the world. In spite of several challenges and competitions thriving in the world market, Gates remains to be one of the richest men in the world, has used his leadership skills and visions to the best possible dimensions and has proved to be the greatest entrepreneur of the world. Lowe (1998) in his book “Bill Gates Speaks: Insight from the World’s greatest Entrepreneur” writes that his pioneering work in the field of computers has altered the lives of people who use it, forever. He also calls Gates as an innovator, full time genius and also a part time salesman.
Taking into consideration the statement “Leaders create vision, the meaning within which others work and live. Managers, by contrast, act completely within a vision” by Adler Nancy from International Dimensions of Organisational Behaviour, it reflects that the vision of the leaders is different, nascent, innovative and also appealing. They take the road less travelled and have their own followers. Though, as managers, the individuals are much more into managing the entire process through which the ideas have been generated by the leaders and account to the fact that these ideas are followed through flawless execution. Gold (2006), in his book “Entrepreneurs notebook” reveals how challenging and very gratifying the entire journey of being a leader is. A leader needs to be convincing, confident and very principled, knowing the tricks in the trade.
A person who has the right sense of thought process, idea generation and can make people believe in him can actually manage to stay in this business field. There are millions of others who will take inspiration from him. On the other hand, the managers prove to be methodological and more flawless in terms of the management aspect of the entire vocation they are employed and involved into. Though, it does not, by any means, compare the mental or intellectual appeal of both of them. But the fact remains to be true, that its comparatively easier to be a manager, a profession which can be learnt with time and pace, rather than being a leader because it is in built and cannot be influenced by the external surrounding, until and unless the leadership trait is there in them, from birth For example, Bill Gates, declined the mandatory and customary trends which the mere graduates followed in Harvard but rather he gave more interest and time to polish his skills in programming and building his own empire, his own establishment, which could not be compared or defeated by any other. Geist (2000) in his book “Monopolies in America” States clearly the kind of enemies and empire building tactics which the prominent leaders from the time of Jay Gould to Bill Gates have used, for their own success and progress in the world of cut throat competition.