Table of Contents
Every great leader would possess qualities such as being visionary; having good connectivity skills with the people; must be knowledgeable; must know about the business; accept dieback; must be able to motivate; must find the root cause of problems; must be able to achieve results; must be accountable. Whereas a poor leader would possess qualities such as being an authoritarian with excessive ego; demonstrate poor interpersonal skills and an inability to build and lead a team; is change-resistant or overly ambitious; and, by ignoring accountability and integrity, does not command the respect of his followers.
The purpose of this paper is to compare two leaders, both of whom are successful in the world of Computers. This comparative analysis will be done using the International Framework for Analyzing Leadership (see Appendix 1 ) which shows leadership as a function of three elements, the leader, the followers, and the situation. The first section of the paper provides a brief background of each leader as well as a summary of the followers and the situation.
The second section of this paper is a comparative analysis of each leader which compares both leaders based on the following leadership qualities:
127 our experts are availableright now
- Power and Influence;
- Ethics and Values;
- Leadership Attributes;
- Results;
- Legacy.
The final section of the paper includes identifying which of the two leaders is the more effective leader.
Background
The leaders, the followers, and the situations The following background information will provide details about the leaders, their followers, and the situations.
These details are important in order to better understand the comparative analysis presented in the following section of this paper. William H. Gates Ill is one of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs. He was born on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington and began to show an interest in computer programming at the age of 13. Through technological innovation, keen equines strategy, and aggressive competitive tactics, he and his partner Paul Allen built the world’s largest software business, Microsoft.
As teenagers, Gates and Allen decided that the possibility of every household and business to have a computer, and the computer must be working on Microsoft software was both a realistic and a desirable goal, which they could work to achieve. Mr. Gates ensured that his relationships with his followers and co-workers were always ideal. He was the type of leader who never underestimated his followers. He also communicated the objectives which needed to be achieved in a clear manner to his followers. In addition, he also conveyed the benefits, which they would obtain if they achieved those objectives. Mr. Gates has said it himself on numerous occasions that Microsoft would have been unsuccessful without his strong team, which stood behind him. Another one of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs was the late Steven Paul Jobs. He was born on 24 February 1955 in San Francisco. Mr. Jobs and Steve Waking are the founders of Apple Computers Incorporation, formed in the year of 1976 in the Jobs family garage. Mr. Job’s vision was that Apple Computer Incorporation is to bring in the best personal imputing experience to all its users around the world through their innovative hardware, software, and internet offerings.
Apple Computer Inc revolutionizes the computer industry by using new technologies to make the computer smaller, cheaper, intuitive, and available to everyday customers. Even though the strategies and leadership of Jobs were successful until his passing, there was a period in 1985 when there was a power struggle with the board of directors which made him resign from his post as CEO of Apple Computers Incorporation. After resigning as CEO, using his leadership capabilities he formed another many named Next Computer Incorporation which was eventually bought by Apple Computers Inc in 1997 when Mr. Jobs was rehired as interim CEO. In 2000 he was made permanent CEO of Apple Computer Incorporation where he managed to build a good relationship with his followers and led the company until his passing in 2011.
Comparative Analysis
This section will seek to compare and contrast Mr. Bill Gates and the late Steve Jobs under the following leadership dimensions:
- Power and Influence;
- Ethics and Values;
- Leadership Attributes;
- Results;
- Legacy.
Power and Influence
Hughes, Gannett & Church (2011) define “power as the capacity to produce effects on others or the potential to influence others”. According to Hughes, Gannett & Church (2011), there are five sources of power – expert; legitimate; referent; coercive; reward (see Appendix 2).
Legitimate Power
Legitimate power depends on one person’s organizational role. Both Mr. Gates and Mr. Jobs had this source of power to influence their followers as they were the respective Coos in their organizations. However, Mr. Gates was able to use this source of power from the first day as CEO of Microsoft. In the case of Mr. Jobs, who was unable to make full use of this power in the 198(Jus when there was the power struggle with the board of directors at Apple Computer Incorporation. After being reappointed as interim CEO in 1997 and CEO in 2000 he was able to use this source of power onwards.
Expert Power
Expert power is the power of knowledge. Expert power in an organization is the ability to influence the behavior of others in the organization based solely on past experience and expertise. People often respect an expert and the few people who possess the expertise, the more power the individual has. In case of Mr. Gates and Mr. Jobs both are highly qualified in their respective fields by knowledge and experience therefore they would be able to influence their followers using this source of power. In addition, the followers usually trust their decision-making.
Referent Power
Referent powers often called “charisma” refers to the potential to influence one has due to the strength of the relationship between the leader and followers. Mr. Gates is viewed by his followers as a transformational leader whose strong, visionary style is motivational and inspiring. In addition, Mr. Gates was loyal to his followers and understood that without them his company would fail. Whereas Mr. Jobs is seen as a highly autocratic leader.
The autocratic nature of his leadership also bears some transactional traits, such as using verbal lashings at employees. Mr. Jobs choose to lead from the front rather than working alongside his peers and subordinates. With this being said Mr. Gates was able to use this source of power by building positive relationships with his followers while Mr. Jobs who was seen as dictatorial was also able to use this power but not by building relationships but rather using persuasion.
Reward Power
Reward power involves the potential to influence others due to one’s control over desired resources. In order for reward power to be highly effective, the reward must be something that the followers value. Both leaders Mr. Gates and Mr. Jobs had the resources to use this source of power to motivate their followers, whereby the reward being monetary, recognition, etc.
Coercive Power
Coercive power, the opposite of reward power, has been defined as the potential to influence others through the administration of negative sanctions or the removal of positive events. It is the ability to control others through fear of punishment or the loss of valued outcomes.
Mr. Gates never made rash threats and used coercion to manipulate others or to gain personal benefits. Whereas Mr. Jobs was a great intimidator, known to berate his followers to the point of tears. Although both leaders had the ability to use this source of power, it was used by Mr. Jobs.
Leadership Attributes
Leadership attributes consist of personality traits and intelligence.
Personality Traits and Leadership
Personality refers to a person’s social reputation which reflects a description ND evaluation of the person. The traits approach to personality maintains that people behave as they do because of the strengths of the traits they possess. The Five-Factor or OCEAN model would be used to compare Mr. Gates and Mr. Jobs.
The Five-Factor or Ocean Model
Openness to experience
Openness to experience is concerned with curiosity, innovative things, and being open to new experiences. Leaders high in openness to experience tend to be imaginative, broad-minded, and curious. Both leaders Mr. Gates and Mr. Jobs are high in openness to experience. They are imaginative and practice their ideas wrought innovation and creativeness.
Conscientiousness
Conscientiousness concerns those behaviors related to people’s approach to work. Leaders who are higher in conscientiousness tend to be playful, organized, and take commitments seriously. Both leaders Mr. Gates and Mr. Jobs are high in conscientiousness, they were able to achieve their goals and build successful organizations, Microsoft Corporation and Apple Incorporation respectively. In addition, they are dominant in meetings.
Extroversion
Extroversion involves behaviors that are more likely to be exhibited in group tenting and are generally concerned with getting ahead in life. Leaders who are higher in extroversion tend to be more outgoing, competitive, decisive, and self-confident in achieving things. Both leaders Mr. Gates and Mr. Jobs are high in extroversion, they were decisive and confident. In addition, Mr. Gates and Mr. Jobs were able to build their organizations in group settings, Microsoft and Apple currently employ approximately 89000 and 34500 employees respectively.
Agreeableness
Agreeableness, which concerns how one gets along with, as opposed to gets ahead of, others. Individuals high in agreeableness come across to others as charming, diplomatic, warm, empathetic, and approachable. Mr. Gates is high in agreeableness. Although Mr. Gates is not recorded as being friendly however he founded Bill and Melinda Gates foundation and had spent billions of dollars in charity. This shows his compassion and caring for others which are shown in his organization. Whereas Mr. Jobs was low in agreeableness. Mr.. Jobs was more of a loner, known for not allowing anyone with similar talents to his own, rise within the company.
Neurotics
Neurotics are concerned with how people react to stress, change, failure, or personal critics. Leaders lower in neurotics tend not to make mistakes or failures personally and hide their emotions whereas those higher in neurotics tend to make mistakes or failures personally and lose their tempers. Mr. Gates is low on neurotics; he has self-control and is emotionally stable and does not release his stress to his employees. On the other hand Mr.. Jobs is the opposite of Mr. Gates is high on neurotics. Former Apple Corporation public relations office said: “that before going into a meeting with Mr. Jobs, she has to develop a mindset like a bullfighter entering the ring that there were times where subordinates cry in meetings and fired to his angry tantrums”.
Intelligence
Intelligence refers to the aggregate or global capacity of the individual to act purposely, to think rationally, and to deal effectively with his intelligence. The Trichina Theory of Intelligence would be used to compare both leader’s intelligence.
The Trichina Theory of Intelligence
The Trichina theory of intelligence focuses on what a leader does when solving complex mental problems. According to this theory, there are three basic types of intelligence and they are as follows:
Analytic Intelligence
This refers to the general problem-solving ability and can be assessed using standardized mental abilities tests. Mr. Gates is analytical; as shown in his Harvard entrance exam where he scored 1790 out of 1800. Whereas Mr. Jobs was not analytical, according to Walter Occasions, author of Mr.. Steve Jobs Biography, reported in the New York Times that when Mr.. Jobs was confronted with a brain teaser, an applied math problem he had no interest in solving the problem logically but rather by guesses.
Practical Intelligence or ‘street smarts
This involves knowing what to do and how to do it when confronted with a practical leadership situation. One notion of practical intelligence is expertise. Both Mr. Gates and Mr. Jobs are key examples of people who have displayed practical intelligence in achieving their entrepreneurial goals. Mr. Gates is an expert computer programmer; this is shown through Microsoft’s software products (Windows, Microsoft Word, Internet Explorer, etc). However, Mr. Jobs was an expert designer; which is shown through Apple’s products (PAD, Phone, etc).
Creative Intelligence
Creative intelligence refers to the ability to produce work that is both novel and useful. Both leaders Mr. Gates and Mr. Jobs dropped out of school but were able to build multimillion dollars company through their creativity, ideas, and innovation. Mr. Gates’s bi-annual Think Weeks best exemplifies his creativity. He takes leave twice a year for one week to read ideas sent to him by Microsoft employees. Mr..Jonathan Way said that “after Mr. Jobs dropped out of college he started dropping in on creative classes, which likely influenced the eventual aesthetics of Apple rodents
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence is referred to a person’s ability to manage and monitor his or her own emotions, to correctly gauge the emotional state of others, and to influence opinions. The ability model indicates that there are five dimensions of emotional intelligence: self-awareness; self-management; motivation; empathy; social skills (see Appendix 3) Mr..Gates was seen as a Charismatic Transformation leader. He has a high degree of emotional intelligence. With respect to the Ability model, he was rated high on all five dimensions. Mr. Gates earned the appreciation of his employees by leading an office as casual as a college campus and encouraging free thinking. Microsoft employees are some of the brightest and are not known for being conformists, can you imagine them working in an environment that required adherence to a strict dress code? Bill Gates understood his employees and provided the ideal conditions for them to thrive.
In addition Mr.. Gates is known for being a Philanthropist, in year 2000 he set up the Bill and Melinda Foundation and it is currently the largest charitable foundation in the world. On the other hand, Mr. Jobs was seen as an autocratic leader. He had a low degree of emotional intelligence. With respect to the Ability model, he was rated high on the first three dimensions but rated low on the last two. While at Next Corporation, he had to lay off people and didn’t want to give anyone a severance package. In addition Mr..Job’s personal abuses are also marveled at; He used to: park his Mercedes in handicapped spaces; periodically reduces subordinates to tears, and fires employees in angry tantrums. Yet many of his top deputies at Apple have worked with him for years, and even some of those who have departed say that although it’s often brutal and Jobs hogs the reedit, they’ve never done better work. “
Ethics and Values
Leaders can use power for good or ill, and a leader’s personal values and ethical code may be among the most important determinants of how that leader exercises the various sources of power available.
Ethics refers to principles of right conduct or a system of moral values. Values are constructs representing generalized behaviors that are considered by the individual to be important. Both leaders are prime examples of The Gene-Seers. The Cent-Seers grew up in a different era and some of their core values are:
- commitment to vocation;
- entrepreneurial;
- embrace change;
- value family.
Mr. Gates is seen as both ethical and unethical. His employees see him as an ethical leader. His employees trust him; he gives them what they need.
In addition, he gives them motivation and incentives to work for example a small part of his shares is given to his employees so that they will work harder to increase the share price which will help them increase their income. Microsoft’s core values are integrity, honesty, openness, personal excellence, constructive self-criticism, continual self-improvement, and mutual respect. In addition, his charitable work through the Bill and Melinda Foundation has not gone unnoticed, whereby he invested billions in educational and health issues globally.
However, the business world sees him as unethical whereby he is known for his anti-competitive antics which have been upheld in courts. Microsoft has been accused of being a monopolist organization. Mr. Jobs was seen as an unethical leader. He was an authoritarian, a managerial bully who demeaned people and showed a lack of respect and empathy. Mr. Jobs was not comfortable with the idea of fully empowered workers or free press. Inside Apple Incorporation there is a culture of fear and control around communication.
In addition, Apple Incorporation’s success has been built literally on Chinese suppliers who were known to employ children, many of them enduring long shifts and penalties for mistakes. With respect to Mr. Job’s personal life, he had his first child out of wedlock and denied paternity for 2 years, even declaring court papers that he was sterile and infertile.
Results
Both leaders were highly successful and reached their individual goals. Mr. Gates was able to achieve his goal, in the process of building Microsoft Corporation into a successful multimillion organization transforming the software industry.
According to Forbes magazine, he is the second wealthiest man estimated at approximately 61 bans. Similarly, the late Mr. Jobs was able to achieve his goal, in the process of building Apple Corporation into the most successful multimillion-dollar organization that revolutionizes 7 industries (computers, animation, music, movies, phones, the mobile web, tablets).
Legacy
Mr. Gates will be remembered as a successful entrepreneur, inspiring technologist, brilliant businessman and philanthropist. He jump-started the immemorial software market and donated billions to charity through Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
