Being the owner of a company does not always equate to being a strong leader. Perfect qualities for a leader constantly change in society’s minds. However, some individuals possess the set of personality traits that most people consider to be perfect for a leading role. For example, the identity of Bill Gates as a charismatic leader and innovator is known and recognized by multiple generations. His leadership approach is considered a viable strategy for other employers and company owners. In my opinion, Bill Gates can be classified as a transformational leader because of his desire to challenge the specialists in the field of computer technology and hire new talent rather than relying on experienced professionals.
The history of Bill Gates shows him as a person who was never afraid of trying something new. On the contrary, he continually strived to present new ideas and move the developments in the field of computer electronics forward. His desire to create a new computer language, for instance, portrays him as an innovator. His competitive nature forced him to act as a pioneer in the field of technology, allowing him and his company to take up the niche of computer development on the market. Although external competition on the market is an important driver of progress, it does not allow individual workers to prove themselves.
By creating an internal competition, Bill Gates allowed the employees to not only work as a team but also to succeed as individual professionals. According to Al-Asfour and Lettau (2014), these personality traits of Bill Gates make him one of the most recognizable leaders in the eyes of the current working generation. The focus on change is one of the most important points that highlight Bill Gates as a transformational leader.
While Bill Gates valued innovation the most, he was also concerned about the employees that he was hiring. His opinion on young and inexperienced workers shows that he wanted to build the company on new ideas rather than acquiring a sound basis of more experienced professionals. In a way, by recruiting new talent from the start, Bill Gates began to form the perceptions of employees to mirror his beliefs and goals.
For example, his competitive nature directly influenced the behavior of employees, as they began to set tighter deadlines and compete with each other. However, he did not emulate the feeling of inequality, instead of focusing on presenting his success as an achievable goal. Rao (2017) says that Bill Gates’ approach to leadership is based on a set of values because he put organizational interests higher than personal ones. Moreover, by putting his trust in the inexperienced employees and encouraging new and unusual ideas, Bill Gates changed the dynamic of the relationship between the boss and the workers.
Bill Gates remains an example of a charismatic leader for several reasons. His determination to be the first in his field has made him an originator of many innovative products. The decision to hire new talent transformed the way people perceive knowledge and experience. Bill Gates’ competitiveness inspired his employees to work hard to achieve their level. Moreover, his ambitions and skills gave his followers energy to create more and more projects. All in all, the personal qualities of Bill Gates along with his knowledge and expertise make him a transformational leader.
References
Al-Asfour, A., & Lettau, L. (2014). Strategies for leadership styles for multi-generational workforce. Journal of Leadership, Accountability and Ethics, 11(2), 58. Web.
Rao, M. S. (2017). Values-based leadership. The Journal of Values-Based Leadership, 10(2), 5. Web.