Reuters has managed to get their hands on excerpts from former Mircosoft executive Joachim Kempin new book. In his new book, Kempin posits that current Microsoft Corp Chief Executive Steve Ballmer needs to go for Microsoft to get back to its glory days.
Joachim Kempin, who worked for the company between 1983 and 2002, overseeing the sales of Windows software to computer makers for part of that time, according to the article. The new book titled – ‘Resolve and Fortitude: Microsoft’s “secret power broker” breaks his silence’, is scheduled to be published on Tuesday.
Here are snippets of some of the things Joachim Kempin had to say about his former employer and former boss:
- For Microsoft to really get back in the game seriously, you need a big change in management. As much as I respect Steve Ballmer, he may be part of that in the end.
- When you work that directly with Ballmer and Ballmer believes ‘maybe this guy could someday take over from me’, my God, you will have less air to breathe, that’s what it comes down to.
- Ozzie is a great software guy, he knew what he was doing. But when you see Steve (Ballmer) and him on stage where he (Ozzie) opposed Steve, it was Steve’s way or the highway.
- Steve(Ballmer) is a very good business guy, but make him a chief operating officer, not a CEO, and your business is going to go gangbusters. I respect that guy (Ballmer), but there are some limitations in what he can and can’t do and maybe he hasn’t realized them himself.
- They (Microsoft) missed all the opportunities they were talking about when I was still in the company. Tablets, phones…we had a tablet going, we had tablet software when Windows XP came out, it was never followed up properly.
- And finally, Is he (Ballmer) a great CEO? I don’t think so. Microsoft’s board is a lame duck board, has been forever. They hire people to help them administer the company, but not to lead the company. That’s the problem.
Is Joachim Kempin analysis of Microsoft’s current situation spot on or is it a case of sour grapes?
