Hit Refresh by Satya Nadella, 2017

As part of my career development plan learn more about the tech industry, Hit Refresh: The Quest to Rediscover Microsoft's Soul and Imagine a Better Future for Everyone was a book I would have previously passed over.

The takeaways I got from the book:
* Growth Mindset - not focused on pointing fingers or assigning blame; interested in elevating everyone, one company

* Leadership principals:
     1. Bring clarity (and I would add, consistency) to those you work with
          - synthesize all the noise, synthesize the complexity
     2. Generate energy
          - not just on my teams, but across the company
     3. Find a way to deliver success
          - driving innovation, finding balance bet/ long-term success and short-term wins

Nadella is only the 3rd CEO of Microsoft, following Bill Gates & Steve Ballmer. 

With the help of a ghostwriter & assistant, the book is a bit contrived, continually emphasizing the 'Hit Refresh' on his approach to thinking about Microsoft's corporate culture and partnerships.

Having been a Microsoft employee for over a decade (& Indian American, originally from Hyderabad), his rise to CEO is impressive. 

Despite stories about his childhood & current family, I did not get a sense of his drive and how he ended up as CEO.

One of the projects Nadella spearheaded was search & advertising, what would become Bing.  I've always detested Bing & IE pushing the search engine, but Microsoft considers it a success.

Despite it only being a small percentage of search revenue, given how large the market it, Bing is actually a billion dollar business. 

Company strategy is always to be the best, but sometimes being 2nd, even a distant one, is ok too.

To complete the company manifesto feel of the book, there is also a plug about technologies Microsoft is investing in: mixed reality, quantum computing & artificial intelligence.