Two unrelated events in the past couple of weeks made me think about leaders who let go - or not. Steve Ballmer announced his departure from Microsoft, triggering speculation as to whether Bill Gates might or should step back to the company he founded in 1975. Tony Blair, widely condemned for taking the UK into Iraq has stepped back into the limelight, throwing himself into the debate about whether or not the UK should take military action in Syria. Bill Gates concentrated on his Foundation (a million miles in content from Microsoft) when he stepped down as CEO in 2000, since when he has resisted commenting about the company he left behind (and despite remaining on its Board). Microsoft's value halved in his absence. Doubtful though Gates' return might be, he is being talked about as Microsoft's latter day saviour. Steve Jobs, during his break from Apple between 1985 and 1996, went about building other successful entities (LucasFilm into Pixar and NeXT, whose platfor
Thinking about events, people, places, reputations, leadership and occasionally, gardening