Misc. Ramblings

Many people may think Bill Gates is Microsoft. But actually, Microsoft is made up of 63,000 people. Many of these people are bright, articulate, and have a passion to produce excellent products that meet the needs of its customers.

Yes, as in any large organization, there are those who seem to focus on counter productive behaviors. But, I hope, they are in the minority.

What I want to spotlight today is a Channel 9 interview of MS VP of Human Resources Lisa Brummel (the download is 110MB, so pause and reflect before choosing to view it).

Ms. Brummel has a BA in Sociology from Yale University and an MBA from UCLA.

Before moving over to HR last year, she was VP of Microsoft's division that includes, among others, input devices (e.g., mice and keyboards), games (e.g., Flight Simulator and Age of Empires), and home applications (e.g., Money and Encarta). This division brings in about one billion in annual sales, making it the fourth most profitable enterprise within MS.

But even with all her qualifications, she has a tough job ahead of her.

All successful organizations must create work environments that are healthy for its employees. By that I don't necessarily mean a safe workplace, although that is certainly part of it. Rather, I'm talking about a workplace where people can express their passion for what they care about and creatively channeling that energy into solving problems.

However, some MS employees are saying there are festering problems with employee compensation not being up-to-par. This, especially in light of senior management multi-million dollar bonuses. Others are concerned about new hires that don't seem to be qualified and appear to be placed just to fill a quota. Still others are concerned about low stock dividends while, at the same time, MS is spending millions to acquire other companies.

Ms. Brummel seems to be a rare combination of people-centered person while, at the same time, being tech savvy. I wish her well because if she is successful, MS will produce products that excel (pun not intended).