MAIL VOM BOSS: ZWEI ANTRITTSREDEN

Antrittsreden im Job: Wie stellt man sich am besten vor? Zwei Beispiele von Antrittsreden in Form von Mails ans Haus. Satya Nadella, CEO von Microsoft und Tim Cook, CEO von Apple.

Die Mail von Satya Nadella ist vom Februar 2014, nachdem er Microsofts neuer CEO geworden ist. Und die Mail von Tim Cook ist aus dem August 2011, nachdem er als Nachfolger von Steve Jobs CEO von Apple geworden ist.

Beide Mails sind fast schon Klassiker. Sie haben nichts vom rauen Ton der Gründer, obwohl Nadella sehr deutlich seine Vision von Change intoniert. Cook dagegen versichert eher, dass alles bleiben wird, wie es ist. Kontinuität ist der Inhalt seiner Mail.

Apple und Microsoft: Die Antrittsreden der CEOs im Vergleich

Ich finde es spannend, beide Antrittsreden nacheinander zu lesen und dabei auf Folgendes zu achten: Länge, Verwendung von We und I und Steve/Bill, Sprache sowie die Dramaturgie.

24 Absätze gegen 4 Absätze. Beide Mails sehr klug im Balancieren von I und We. Beide Mails vergessen nicht, die Gründer und Vorgänger zu ehren. Einfache Worte und klare Sätze verwenden sowohl Nadella als auch Cook. Beide springen gleich zu Beginn an die Anfänge ihrer Karriere bei Microsoft / Apple und enden in der Zukunft. Bilderbuchdramaturgie.

Während Nadella ausführlich sich selbst und seine Werte vorstellt, um dann zu den Anforderungen zu kommen, die die Zukunft und auch er selbst an Microsoft stellen, ist Cook da zurückhaltend. Er spricht weder über sich, noch über Change. Die Mail von Nadella ist eine Aufbruch- und Change-Mail, die von Cook versichert Kontinuität. Für Visionen ist außerdem zu dieser Zeit bei Apple noch Steve Jobs verantwortlich.

Für Nadella ist es aus meiner Sicht viel wichtiger, sich, seine Werte und seine Sicht auf Microsoft und die Zukunft der digitalen Welt zu präsentieren. Genau darin seine Chance, für seine Vision Zustimmung zu finden. Zustimmung auf einer tiefen und emotionalen Ebene.

Ich habe in den beiden Antrittsreden die zentralen Passagen gefettet.

Mail von Satya Nadella an Microsoft

From: Satya Nadella To: All Employees Date: Feb. 4, 2014 Subject: RE: Satya Nadella – Microsoft’s New CEO

Today is a very humbling day for me. It reminds me of my very first day at Microsoft, 22 years ago. Like you, I had a choice about where to come to work. I came here because I believed Microsoft was the best company in the world. I saw then how clearly we empower people to do magical things with our creations and ultimately make the world a better place. I knew there was no better company to join if I wanted to make a difference. This is the very same inspiration that continues to drive me today.

It is an incredible honor for me to lead and serve this great company of ours. Steve and Bill have taken it from an idea to one of the greatest and most universally admired companies in the world. I’ve been fortunate to work closely with both Bill and Steve in my different roles at Microsoft, and as I step in as CEO, I’ve asked Bill to devote additional time to the company, focused on technology and products. I’m also looking forward to working with John Thompson as our new Chairman of the Board.

While we have seen great success, we are hungry to do more. Our industry does not respect tradition – it only respects innovation. This is a critical time for the industry and for Microsoft. Make no mistake, we are headed for greater places – as technology evolves and we evolve with and ahead of it. Our job is to ensure that Microsoft thrives in a mobile and cloud-first world.

As we start a new phase of our journey together, I wanted to share some background on myself and what inspires and motivates me.

Ich glaube fest daran, dass wir Sinn in unserer Tätigkeit finden müsssen

Who am I? 

I am 46. I’ve been married for 22 years and we have 3 kids. And like anyone else, a lot of what I do and how I think has been shaped by my family and my overall life experiences. Many who know me say I am also defined by my curiosity and thirst for learning. I buy more books than I can finish. I sign up for more online courses than I can complete. I fundamentally believe that if you are not learning new things, you stop doing great and useful things. So family, curiosity and hunger for knowledge all define me. 

Why am I here? 

I am here for the same reason I think most people join Microsoft – to change the world through technology that empowers people to do amazing things. I know it can sound hyperbolic – and yet it’s true. We have done it, we’re doing it today, and we are the team that will do it again.

I believe over the next decade computing will become even more ubiquitous and intelligence will become ambient. The coevolution of software and new hardware form factors will intermediate and digitize – many of the things we do and experience in business, life and our world. This will be made possible by an ever-growing network of connected devices, incredible computing capacity from the cloud, insights from big data, and intelligence from machine learning.

Ich bin einer von euch, wir haben die gleichen Ziele

This is a software-powered world.

It will better connect us to our friends and families and help us see, express, and share our world in ways never before possible. It will enable businesses to engage customers in more meaningful ways.

I am here because we have unparalleled capability to make an impact.

Why are we here? 

In our early history, our mission was about the PC on every desk and home, a goal we have mostly achieved in the developed world. Today we’re focused on a broader range of devices. While the deal is not yet complete, we will welcome to our family Nokia devices and services and the new mobile capabilities they bring us.

As we look forward, we must zero in on what Microsoft can uniquely contribute to the world. The opportunity ahead will require us to reimagine a lot of what we have done in the past for a mobile and cloud-first world, and do new things.

We are the only ones who can harness the power of software and deliver it through devices and services that truly empower every individual and every organization. We are the only company with history and continued focus in building platforms and ecosystems that create broad opportunity.

Wir müssen an das Unmögliche glauben

Qi Lu captured it well in a recent meeting when he said that Microsoft uniquely empowers people to „do more.“ This doesn’t mean that we need to do more things, but that the work we do empowers the world to do more of what they care about – get stuff done, have fun, communicate and accomplish great things. This is the core of who we are, and driving this core value in all that we do – be it the cloud or device experiences – is why we are here.

What do we do next? 

To paraphrase a quote from Oscar Wilde – we need to believe in the impossible and remove the improbable.

This starts with clarity of purpose and sense of mission that will lead us to imagine the impossible and deliver it. We need to prioritize innovation that is centered on our core value of empowering users and organizations to „do more.“ We have picked a set of high-value activities as part of our One Microsoft strategy. And with every service and device launch going forward we need to bring more innovation to bear around these scenarios.

Do more, das ist unser zentraler Wert

Next, every one of us needs to do our best work, lead and help drive cultural change. We sometimes underestimate what we each can do to make things happen and overestimate what others need to do to move us forward. We must change this.

Finally, I truly believe that each of us must find meaning in our work. The best work happens when you know that it’s not just work, but something that will improve other people’s lives. This is the opportunity that drives each of us at this company.

Many companies aspire to change the world. But very few have all the elements required: talent, resources, and perseverance. Microsoft has proven that it has all three in abundance. And as the new CEO, I can’t ask for a better foundation.

Let’s build on this foundation together.

Satya

Mail von Tim Cook an Apple

Team:

I am looking forward to the amazing opportunity of serving as CEO of the most innovative company in the world. Joining Apple was the best decision I’ve ever made and it’s been the privilege of a lifetime to work for Apple and Steve for over 13 years. I share Steve’s optimism for Apple’s bright future.

Steve has been an incredible leader and mentor to me, as well as to the entire executive team and our amazing employees. We are really looking forward to Steve’s ongoing guidance and inspiration as our Chairman.

Nichts wird sich ändern bei Apple

I want you to be confident that Apple is not going to change. I cherish and celebrate Apple’s unique principles and values. Steve built a company and culture that is unlike any other in the world and we are going to stay true to that—it is in our DNA. We are going to continue to make the best products in the world that delight our customers and make our employees incredibly proud of what they do.

I love Apple and I am looking forward to diving into my new role. All of the incredible support from the Board, the executive team and many of you has been inspiring. I am confident our best years lie ahead of us and that together we will continue to make Apple the magical place that it is.

Tim

Fazit: Von Tim Cook lässt sich auf jeden Fall eins lernen: Kurz fassen! Nadellas Mail scheint mir zu lang. Es gibt Wiederholungen, die lassen sich streichen. Das Ziel einer solchen Mail ist ja, sich in seiner neuen Rolle vorzustellen und zugleich das Programm für die Zukunft zu umreißen. Aber bitte so, dass man es sich auch merken kann.

Zwei Temperamente, zwei Antrittsreden: Cook kommt sachlich und unemotional rüber, ein kühler CEO. Bei Nadella mehr Wärme, doch  für meinen Geschmack zu viele Erklärungen. Man fragt sich, ob die Leute das wirklich zu Ende lesen.