Steve Ballmer on his way out at Microsoft?
Another day, another round of Ballmer bashing at Microsoft. Is Steve on his way out of the company?
Steve Ballmer has never been the most popular guy outside of Microsoft. Many people dislike his brash attitude and the way he talks about Microsoft’s competitors. But the last few years have seen things get worse, much, much worse, as even those working under Ballmer at Microsoft have taken against him. Their main problem with him is that he’s just not Bill Gates.
I first became aware of this distaste for Ballmer amongst his own workforce in June 2010, but it has apparently existed for a lot longer than that. What’s clear is that this situation isn’t getting any better, and in fact, the more time passes, the less liked Ballmer appears to be at Redmond. So much so that the speculation that Ballmer is about to leave Microsoft, or at least should leave Microsoft, has reached a cacophonous crescendo.
The latest incident occurred during Ballmer’s recent speech to his employees at the annual Microsoft Company Meeting. According to Seattle PI, the workforce wasn’t exactly hanging on every word, and people reportedly “left in droves” as Ballmer spoke to the assembled throng. This is according to comments left on the mini-Microsoft blog, run by an anonymous employee of the company.
The highlights include:
What a sad spectacle. While SteveB was yacking away, people were leaving in droves. Back in the good old days when BillG spoke, EVERYONE listened.
Steve, you’ve lost the support of your employees – when will you realize that you’re holding this once great company back? Oh and BTW, you can take LB (HR chief Lisa Brummel) and KT (COO Kevin Turner) with you too. They like the taste of your Kool Aid…
Now for the unpleasant weeks ahead. Wonder what flaming bag of you know what LB will lay on our doorsteps? She rolled out cuts to our bennies last year just after the company meeting, what’s next???
Great demos and pretty good overall. Only thing is the last part, windows, cannot lose. Sounds a bit defensive from our CEO.
Okay it’s been a couple years since I personally attended the company meeting but, wow, I have to say that was the worst one I’ve ever seen by far. I tried, I swear I tried to keep my admittedly sinking attitude in check and be objective. But it was just too much to endure such painfully flat demos and lifeless speakers in their sleepy attempts to show excitement about our products and our future. The train dance thing (the few times they did it) got old fast but it soon became a welcome reprieve from the on-stage monotony. It seemed like almost every demo was something about Win 8 tablet, with a few quick nods to products that are actually doing well in the marketplace, then back to praying to the Windows 8 gods for rain.
Is Win 8 tablet all we have left to be excited about? Has the morale across the company slumped so much that 20,000 of us together can’t even generate a decent applause? Please someone tell me I’m wrong. Tell me I’ve just got a bad attitude and I completely misread the meeting.
Yep, pretty sad to see all the seats empty out while SteveB was talking…hopefully he gets the hint and bows out in the Win8 timeframe.
In other words, Ballmer is not a patch on Gates, yada, yada, yada. Or am I simplifying things just a little too much?
The question is whether now would be a good time for Ballmer to go. With Steve Jobs having handed over the reins to Tim Cook at Apple, perhaps Ballmer should get out while the going is reasonably good. I still think he could leave with his head held high, handing over responsibility for this strained tech giant to someone younger and with more of a vision for the future direction of the company.
My guess is he won’t go willingly.
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September 28th, 2011
Unfortunately, employees, perhaps with the exception of employee-owned companies, don’t get to choose the leaders. That’s the board of directors’s function, as it represents the shareholders.
When more shareholders start grumbling that Ballmer must go, then we can expect Ballmer to be on his way out.
October 3rd, 2011
Adios thunderc**t!
October 13th, 2011
good luck with your Windows 8 tablet, Ballmer coz that’s all you really got.