Business the Bill Gates Way: 10 Secrets of the World's Richest Business Leader [Paperback]

Des Dearlove (Author)

Book Description

Series: Business Way | Publication Date: May 1, 1999

From computer nerd and Harvard drop-out to the world's richest business leader? That's the incredible path of Bill Gates.

Business the Bill Gates Way tells his story, reveals the entrepreneurial brilliance that is the driving force behind Microsoft's awesome success, and discloses 10 key business secrets of the ultimate computer geek--and formidable businessman.

Readers will learn about: Bill's early obsession with computers, his utter devotion to...software, his demanding management style, his incredible focus, how he anticipates market challenges and creates dominant brands, how he inspires loyalty and devotion from employees as well as customers, and much more.

Business the Bill Gates Way is part of a new series that charts the rise of business superstars Gates, Jack Welch, Richard Branson, and Rupert Murdoch. The Business Way Series looks at their deals, schemes, and dreams, revealing how each planned his career, crushed his competitors, and ended up on top. It supplies both a valuable insight into the ingredients of success and a concise source of important lessons for the next generation of winners.

Other "Business Way" books include: Business the Jack Welch Way (0-8144-7033-5) Business the Richard Branson Way (0-8144-7035-1) Business the Rupert Murdoch Way (0-8144-7034-3)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Is there anything new to say about the four high-profile corporate executives featured in this series? The work of Dearlove and Crainer, two British business writers, suggests that there is not. Their texts consist of quotes from previous books and articles held together by statements that appear to have little to legitimize them. The authors give no indication of the source of their opinions, facts, and speculation. For each executive, there are ten "secrets" on which the analysis of his management style is based. Although the other three executives are referred to in each book, there is no attempt at comparative analysis. For example, for Murdoch, ruthlessness is cited as a secret of success, with the belief that "nice guys finish second." But Branson's common touch with customers and staff alike is the key to his popularity and success. Go figure. The quality of the writing is uneven and frequently repetitious, but there is an easygoing approach that makes all four books appealing for a quick read. Undergraduate term-paper writers and casual readers who have heard these names may appreciate the one-stop biography/management style content. Graduate students, businesspeople, and other specialists will pass on these books in search of more solid content.ASusan DiMattia, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Back Cover

Bill Gates is a modern business phenomenon: the greatest of the techno-savant tycoons. His grip on the PC software market has made him the richest man on the planet. But Gates'wealth and technical brilliance is only part of his fascination. His remarkable business vision and obsessive desire to win has created a headership style that radically different to anything the business world has seen before.

But you won't find many clues to the Gates' management or leadership techniques in business schools. So where do we turn to find out how this guy ticks? Beneath the hype and counter-hype, what sort of man is Bill Gates really?

Brought completely up to date for this new edition, Business the Bill Gates Way not only reveals the secrets of Gates' remarkable success but also draws out the universal lessons and identifies strategies that can be applied to any business or career. From hiring very smart people to loving what you make, and from crushing your competitors to never, ever, ever taking your eye off the ball, you have in your hands the secret of phenomenal success. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: AMACOM; 1 edition (May 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081447036X
• ISBN-13: 978-0814470367
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,438,293 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Business the Bill Gates Way, February 22, 2000

By 

Michael McDonald (Farmington, New Mexico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Business the Bill Gates Way: 10 Secrets of the World's Richest Business Leader (Paperback)

If you're looking for an easy to read summary of how Bill Gates went from college drop-out to the $50 billion man, here it is. "Business the Bill Gates Way," is a quick and sanitary overview of what happens when an irresistible combination of passion, luck, determiation, and brains meet an unbelievable opportunity. Bill Gates as nerd, seer, opportunist, organizational genius, and workaholic all tied-up in a nice, little, pink bow. Des Dearlove appears to written this book after only having read a half dozen other books on Bill Gates and Microsoft. You get the sense he never left his office, much less England, to research the subject. This is a formula book, heavy on format and light substance. Ten 16 page chapters, with a summary of the main points at the end of each. The series is obviously successful, and we can expect more of the same, but it reads more like the Cliff Notes than the real book. In fact, you could just read the summaries, memorize the main points, and move on to your algebra homework.

1.0 out of 5 stars This book has nothing new, February 7, 2009

By 

Maxim Masiutin (Chisinau, Republic of Moldova) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Big Shots: Business the Bill Gates Way (Paperback)

In this book, you won't find something new about Bill Gates and his way of doing business. Wikipedia provides better information about this man. If you really wish to understand in details how Microsoft works as a business, get "Microsoft 2.0" by Mary Jo Foley, and the books by Bill Gates: "The Road Ahead" and "Business @ Speed of Thought".

The main conclusion of the author is that Bill Gates, essentially, is doing "creative imitation", as defined by Peter Drucker in his book "Innovation and Entrepreneurship".

I agree with Des Dearlove about the "creative imitation", although he doesn't use this term. I suggest you to read the Drucker's book to better understand the technique and advantages of creative imitation.

As about "Big Shots: Business the Bill Gates Way", I don't recommend reading it. Just read Wikipedia and the books above mentioned.

5.0 out of 5 stars Bill Gates: 5 Reasons Why He's The Richest Man in the World, January 23, 2009

By 

Jusuf Hariman (Australia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Big Shots, Business the Bill Gates Way: 10 Secrets of the World's Richest Business Leader (Kindle Edition)

Until very recently, Bill Gates was the richest man in the world. In fact, had he not donated a substantial sum to his foundation, he would still be the richest man in the world. For the purposes of this review, I would presume that Bill Gates is still the richest man in the world. Des Dearlove, the author of the book offers 10 reasons why Bill Gates is the richest man in the world. They are: (1). Be in the right place at the right time; (2). Fall in love with technology; (3). Take no prisoners; (4). Hire very smart people; (5). Learn to survive; (6). Don't expect any thanks; (7). Assume the visionary position; (8). Cover all the bases; (9). Build a byte-sized business; and (10). Never, ever, ever take you eye off the ball. Sometime ago, I summarised this book and published it in the premier Australian business magazine ie "Wealth Creator". It condenses the 10 secrets into 5 secrets. They are: (1). Bill Gates makes software very easy to use; (2). Bill Gates hires very smart people; (3). Bill Gates is a worldly intellectual; (4). Bill Gates presumes a prescient position; and (5). Bill Gates builds a byte-size business. The magazine published this summary as their "cover story" in March/April 2006 edition pages 26-31. This can be secured for free from me by contacting me at [e-mail]. Digest this book and you will find a few tips to increase your income. Dr Jusuf Hariman.