Get Motivated! Series: Rick Belluzzo
Rick Belluzzo, former President/COO of Microsoft Corporation
Get Motivated!: Lessons for Success
Most likely if know the name Rick Belluzzo, it’s either because you’ve heard about his success at Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft or his failure at SGI (Silicon Graphics Inc.), which filed for bankruptcy in 2006. Whether the former or latter, his experience at some of America’s most recognizable companies makes him an expert on the pursuit of success. Here are the lessons he’s learned in 30 years in the high-tech industry:
*Times of Disruption Create Times of Great Opportunity: The companies that survive and thrive are those that adapt and change when faced with difficult circumstances. When Belluzzo joined Hewlett-Packard as an accountant in 1975, HP had only 5% of the market share, but the company’s willingness to explore new technology and to pursue product innovations – HP is credited with pioneering inkjet/laser printing – rocketed it to the market leader position.
*You are Your Own Enterprise: Invest in yourself, whether learning new skills or improving old ones. Make yourself strong and indispensable to the organization…this is especially good advice in the current job market!
*Always Strive to Make a Difference: Approach every job as if it’s the most important task. Belluzzo did not excel at school; in fact, a high-school counselor once told him that he wasn’t college-grade material. Despite this, Belluzzo had something he calls the “hustle factor.” When he was going through new employee orientation at HP, he remembers looking around the room and knowing immediately he wasn’t the smartest or most talented person in the room. But no matter how small the job he was given, he made sure he worked harder and did it better than everyone else. His supervisors took notice and Belluzzo quickly moved up the ranks, earning himself the nickname “Rocket Rick” (which he despises, by the way).
*Take on Tough Assignments: The greatest opportunity for personal growth and success lies in taking on new and tough challenges, but often we avoid these for fear of failure. Belluzzo has failed many times (his words), but he has learned something from each experience and developed character and strength along the way.
*Be Self-Aware and Open to Feedback: As a manager, be humble and seek feedback proactively. If you receive criticism, accept it graciously because arguing or getting defensive will ensure people never again tell you where you need to improve…they’ll just tell everyone else. Learn from the feedback and take action.
*Always Maintain Integrity: According to Belluzzo, it matters not only how you win, but also how you lose. One of my favorite quotes of the entire day was Belluzzo’s advice on how to deal with others in the business environment: “Be hard-headed, but soft-hearted.” In other words, follow the company’s principles and perform, but do it in a way that shows respect and integrity for others.
Next up: Colin Powell, former Secretary of State
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