Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella Says What Defines Successful People Comes Down to 3 Words

Embracing Nadella's philosophy has led to increased motivation and productivity among Microsoft employees.

Aug 16, 2024

This post is part of my Thought Leadership series: long-form articles aimed at teaching you how to build great work cultures where people and businesses flourish. If you’re joining me for the first time - welcome! You’ve arrived at a place dedicated to helping you grow as a leader. To get started, click the red button below, and I’ll do everything I can to provide you with insights, tools, and pathways to help you lead with greater clarity, impact, and care.

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Today, many forward-thinking leaders and their respective companies have advanced their understanding of what it takes to create a more human, engaging, and fulfilling employee experience. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is a prime example.

When Nadella took over as CEO in 2014, Microsoft was facing several challenges, including stagnation and internal friction. As he writes in his 2017 book, Hit Refresh, his first major focus was on transforming the company’s culture from a know-it-all attitude, with employees focused on defending their expertise and being right, to a learn-it-all culture that valued curiosity, empathy, collaboration, and growth.

3 Words: Learn-It-All

This transformation was influenced by the work of psychologist Carol Dweck, who proposed the concept of a growth mindset. Embracing this philosophy has led to increased motivation and productivity among Microsoft employees.

In a conversation with Wharton professor Adam Grant a few years back, Nadella shared:

[Say] you have two students — one of them has more innate capability, and the other has less. The person who has less, but is a learn-it-all, will ultimately [become] better. That applies to CEOs, and that applies to companies. I think it has been a helpful cultural metaphor for us to say that you can’t act like a know-it-all; you have to be a learn-it-all.

Nadella emphasized the value of continuous learning driven by understanding customers’ needs as well as applying empathy to learn and improve leadership and organizational culture.

There are many ways to apply and implement a learn-it-all mindset, or culture, for competitive advantage. Here are four practical ways to do it:

1. Encourage open communication

Promote an environment that allows employees to feel safe sharing ideas, asking questions, and admitting when they don’t know something. This openness can lead to more innovative solutions and better team dynamics. Nadella also encouraged employees to view every setback as a learning opportunity, thus fostering a more resilient and innovative workforce.

2. Embrace and reward curiosity

Curiosity is a fundamental human trait that drives exploration, innovation, learning, and the desire to understand the world around us. In psychologically safe workplaces, curious people play a crucial role in sparking new ideas. By asking questions and seeking answers, curious people are motivated to challenge existing knowledge and look for better solutions. This exploration often leads to discovering new perspectives, insights, and opportunities. The key: Recognize and reward employees who demonstrate curiosity and a willingness to explore new ideas. This not only motivates individuals but also signals to others that a learn-it-all attitude is valued.

3. Adapt to change

Be willing to pivot and adapt based on new information and insights. The learn-it-all approach requires flexibility and a willingness to change course when necessary, which is crucial in today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape.

4. Model the Behavior

Finally, as a leader, embody the learn-it-all mindset by continually seeking new knowledge, being open to feedback, and demonstrating how to handle failures constructively. Your behavior sets the tone for the rest of the organization.

Satya Nadella’s learn-it-all approach has been instrumental in Microsoft’s cultural and business transformation. For leaders looking to foster a similar culture within their teams, embracing the learn-it-all mindset offers a practical and effective path to cultivating a thriving and adaptive workplace.

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