Ballmer is unsure of his progress

In August Microsoft announced that Steve Ballmer would step down as CEO sometime in the next 12 months. The reasons for his departure are not entirely clear, but a report by Monica Langley, a Wall Street Journal journalist who spent two days with Ballmer at the company's campus in Redmond, helps shed more light on some details.

The report makes clear everywhere how hard the decision was for Ballmer, who, despite everything, believes it is the right decision. It was clear to Langley from the first conversation she had with him.When asked if he was sure about his decision, Ballmer replied that he is personally not sure about leaving, but he is that it is the best thing for Microsoft

Ballmer considers Microsoft as one more son. It is not for nothing that he has been in the company for 33 of his 57 years and is its second largest individual shareholder. That is why it is not difficult to see that his decision was anything but simple. But Ballmer has come to understand that Microsoft can do better without him, and no one cares more about a company they consider their life to be theirs.

Ballmer himself has realized that he is no longer prepared to lead the company, not only because of the new challenges in the industry but also because of the corporate culture he helped instill .

Ballmer knows Microsoft needs to change

Despite good financial results, Redmond knows the company needs to change.Last year, Ballmer and the board of directors reached the following agreement: while maintaining its enterprise software business, Microsoft must change its organization and refocus its efforts on mobile devices and online services, reducing its dependence on the PC market.

Ballmer looked prepared to lead the transition. He always understood that he was already in the final stretch of his term, but his plan to retire would take a little longer.he intended to hold the job for four more years and lead Microsoft's turn toward the devices and services company he outlined in his letter to shareholders last year. He even began planning his own succession by setting up interviews with potential CEO candidates.

Over the past few months Ballmer tried to adapt himself and the company to a new world

The plan to change Microsoft was put into motion last year, although some steps had to wait. Ballmer preferred to leave the internal restructuring for later so as not to alter the release of Windows 8 in October. After this, he tried to adapt the company, and himself, to a new world. He was changing, and even his appointees over the years sensed the change, not only in the organization, but also in Steve's way of working.

But time was running against him. As much as the board of directors liked his new plan, they weren't about to wait long. In January of this year they began to ask him to go faster. Board chairman John Thompson says that while they "didn't force Steve to resign," they were "pressured him to go faster." The board believes that the company needs a transformation that is taking too long, and so do major investors who are also pushing in that direction.

And change begins with oneself

Ballmer is by no means a bad CEO. During the period in charge of him, he managed to triple its income to Microsoft to 78 billion dollars last fiscal year, and increased its profits by 132%, closing with 22 billion dollars that year. But, as much as the numbers are on his side, everyone seems to want a new CEO capable of innovating in areas that he missed: mobiles, tablets, services internet and even the emerging takeaway technology.

Ballmer began to realize that he had become a pattern for Microsoft that needed to be broken

Despite how hard he tried, he himself began to wonder if he would be able to meet the pace demanded by the board of directors. Last May he began to think that maybe Microsoft could change faster without him.No matter how many efforts he made to change, there would always be doubts in others: employees, managers, investors, partners and consumers; who would have a hard time believing how serious and determined he was about it. It had become a pattern that needed to be broken.

By the end of that same month of May the decision was made:he had to step down as CEOBallmer called John Thompson to notify him of his decision. The news did not appear to surprise Microsoft's board of directors. Many of the members felt that perhaps “new eyes and ears can speed up what we are trying to do here”.

One of the board members is his predecessor, Bill Gates, who understands better than anyone how difficult it is for Ballmer to leave a company he considers his life. Gates stepped down as Microsoft CEO in June 2008 and has been involved in philanthropy with his foundation ever since.

Ballmer will also find his place. Not surprisingly, he has already received offers of all kinds, ranging from a university professor to the coach of the basketball team of his youngest son's school. Althoughhe does not rule out the possibility of continuing as a manager at Microsoft , what he seems to be certain of is that he will not again lead a large company.

On August 21, Microsoft's board of directors accepted the retirement of Steve Ballmer. The news was made public on the 23rd. Since then the search for a replacement continues And we may hear about it soon, as the board plans to meet on November 19, during the annual meeting of the company with shareholders, to continue with the process.

Via | The Wall Street Journal