Reasons Why Steve Ballmer Will Fail at Microsoft

Business - General

By: Traqqer 16-Jan-2011

Introduction:

As likable as he may seem, Steve Ballmer will unfortunately drive Microsoft into the ground. It'll take some time, but it will eventually happen. Mark my words.

Ballmer Just Has No Vision

Ballmer has no clear vision. He has what he thinks are some ideas and goals, but no clear thoughts on innovating and no sense to truly lead a company by focusing on certain things. He's like one of those dictators who has comfortably gone along for the ride while his brothers ruled a country for so long that when there's an uprising from others, he doesn't know what to do. He'll hold onto Microsoft's dominance of the desktop operating system market, at least for now, but eventually that will give way too. He'll see that go the way of his previous attempts to control the smartphone market with Windows Mobile - we all know how successful that was.

Ballmer Doesn't Know How to Simplify

Microsoft is known to be very greedy with the price of its products. And they have so many different versions of Windows and Office that it's downright confusing. Ballmer thinks this is a great business strategy to maximize the selling potential of their products. He just doesn't understand how incredibly frustrating it is for customers who want certain combinations of products that aren't available. He needs to understand Apple's strategy in being minimalistic.

Ballmer Doesn't Understand the Technical Details

The problem with Ballmer is that his background is in business. He doesn't have the technical core to understand how things really work. He doesn't understand the technical excellence of some products and doesn't realize others are technical flops because he just sees the marketing potential. For example, he actually thought Microsoft had a great strategy and a great product in the old Windows Mobile. He laughed at the iPhone's price when it first came out without realizing that it would be subsidized soon. All he saw were the business aspects of Windows Mobile without realizing just how outdated that technology had become. He probably also gets BS'd from his engineers all the time because he has no clue on a technical level.

Ballmer Doesn't Understand What the Public Wants

Ballmer has no clue as to what the public wants. He has no ideas on what products to push forward. I can't believe he actually gave the green light to move ahead with the Microsoft "Kin" mobile phone. I think only about 200 people bought these phones which were discontinued only after a couple of months. Even if Steve Jobs were in a coma, he wouldn't be incompetent enough to make a mistake like that. And it just baffles me to no end that Ballmer could allow a brown-colored Zune to be made. What's next? - A vomit colored green XBox 360? He just doesn't get it.

Ballmer Doesn't Command Respect

Ballmer just doesn't command the type of respect that others in the industry do. Even Bill Gates gained a lot of respect for how he made some very savvy technical and business decisions in growing microsoft. Make no mistake about it. Microsoft is where it is now because of the original efforts of people like Bill Gates and Paul Allen. Ballmer was simply the accountant who now likes to falsely take credit for things he really didn't do. The man is truly a baffoon who has more embarrassing videos on YouTube than Sarah Palin (or at least rivals her). He just doesn't get it. In order to have a successful company, you've got to have a figurehead with the right vision that everyone can respect and follow. Sadly, this is not the case with Ballmer.