--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No one person controls Microsoft. The…" description: "\"No one person controls Microsoft. The board and the shareholders decide whether they want to have me as CEO.\" — Bill Gates" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/bill-gates-137_ceo_no-one-person-controls-microsoft-the-boa_3143019.jpg" --- # No one person controls Microsoft. The board and the… ![“No one person controls Microsoft. The board and the shareholders decide whether they want to have me as CEO.” quote by Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/bill-gates-137_ceo_no-one-person-controls-microsoft-the-boa_3143019.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/bill-gates-137_ceo_no-one-person-controls-microsoft-the-boa_3143019.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/bill-gates-137_ceo_no-one-person-controls-microsoft-the-boa_3143019.jpg) > “No one person controls Microsoft. The board and the shareholders decide whether they want to have me as CEO.” [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power at Microsoft is shared among board and shareholders, not a single individual. **In simple terms:** Microsoft is governed by many, not one person. Key Takeaway Recognize collective decision‑making. Themes leadership governance corporate structure Mood analytical neutral Type statement observation When to use this quote - executive hiring - strategic planning - corporate governance Key Concepts shareholder influence board dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does shared governance affect CEO authority? - What are the risks of concentrating power? A Different Perspective Individual control is limited by institutional checks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Board Shareholders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/board-shareholders-5608731/) [Ceo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceo/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Controls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controls/) [Controls Microsoft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controls-microsoft-5608729/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Microsoft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/microsoft/) [Microsoft Board](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/microsoft-board-5608730/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Shareholders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shareholders/) [Shareholders Decide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shareholders-decide-5608732/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Ceo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-ceo-366120/) ## Related quotes > [I learned a lesson that I don't ever want to be a CEO.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilcox/i-learned-a-lesson-that-i-don-t-ever-want-to-be-a-ceo/) [Larry Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilcox/) > [You want a CEO that understands they need to build a team around them that's sharper and smarter than they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/you-want-a-ceo-that-understands-they-need-to-build-a-team-around-them/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [If you want a CEO role, you have to prepare for it with a vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/if-you-want-a-ceo-role-you-have-to-prepare-for-it-with-a-vengeance/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [Personal ambition is 'I want to be CEO.' Greater vision ambition is, 'I want to lead this company so that people want to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srikumar-rao/personal-ambition-is-i-want-to-be-ceo-greater-vision-ambition-is-i/) [Srikumar Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srikumar-rao/) > [In terms of myself, I said from the very beginning that I wanted to work in the management of Citigroup and I didn't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rubin/in-terms-of-myself-i-said-from-the-very-beginning-that-i-wanted-to/) [Robert Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rubin/) > [People often say to me, "How come you don't want to be CEO of a company?" And I tell them, "I don't want to."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlene-li/people-often-say-to-me-how-come-you-don-t-want-to-be-ceo-of-a-company/) [Charlene Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlene-li/) > [The Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS), which controls the living environment on shuttles and on the International Space Station, doesn't have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-george/the-environmental-control-and-life-support-system-eclss-which/) [Rose George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-george/) > [There weren't many weapons in Egypt in the 1990s. Police controls on guns were very strict back then. That is no longer the case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/there-weren-t-many-weapons-in-egypt-in-the-1990s-police-controls-on/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [I believe God controls the universe. I don't believe biology works in an uncontrolled fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mourdock/i-believe-god-controls-the-universe-i-don-t-believe-biology-works-in/) [Richard Mourdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mourdock/) > [These are the two basic controls at the photographer's command--positi on and timing--all others are extensions, peripheral ones, compared to them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hurn/these-are-the-two-basic-controls-at-the-photographer-s-command-positi/) [David Hurn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hurn/) > [No one in the modern world controls the wealth or territory that Cleopatra did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/no-one-in-the-modern-world-controls-the-wealth-or-territory-that/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [Nobody controls me but my mama and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-moss/nobody-controls-me-but-my-mama-and-god/) [Randy Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-moss/) > [The one who loves least controls the relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-one-who-loves-least-controls-the-relationship/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A state-based regulatory system is quite burdensome. It allows price controls to create market distortions. It can hinder development of national products and can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-paulson/a-state-based-regulatory-system-is-quite-burdensome-it-allows-price/) [Henry Paulson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-paulson/) > [I don't think that anyone should be in control of a relationship. I think that if you have a woman that controls her man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-nique/i-don-t-think-that-anyone-should-be-in-control-of-a-relationship-i/) [Mo'Nique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-nique/) ## More by Bill Gates > [If you’re a person struggling to eat and stay healthy you might have heard about Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali, but you’ll never have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/if-you-re-a-person-struggling-to-eat-and-stay-healthy-you-might-have/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I really had a lot of dreams when I was a kid, and I think a great deal of that grew out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-really-had-a-lot-of-dreams-when-i-was-a-kid-and-i-think-a-great/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Understanding science and pushing the boundaries of science is what makes me immensely satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/understanding-science-and-pushing-the-boundaries-of-science-is-what/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [We're focused on providing innovations in software, driving the continuous improvement for a much better experience, and there's a lot going on here that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/we-re-focused-on-providing-innovations-in-software-driving-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Paper is no longer a big part of my day. I get 90% of my news online, and when I go to a meeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/paper-is-no-longer-a-big-part-of-my-day-i-get-90-of-my-news-online/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Software will get to be somewhat more mature, ah, but it will never be as predictable as most areas of engineering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/software-will-get-to-be-somewhat-more-mature-ah-but-it-will-never-be/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Students deserve great teachers. And teachers deserve the support they need to become great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/students-deserve-great-teachers-and-teachers-deserve-the-support-they/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The machines need to get faster. They need to get cheaper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-machines-need-to-get-faster-they-need-to-get-cheaper/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Like many others, I have deep misgivings about the state of education in the United States. Too many of our students fail to graduate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/like-many-others-i-have-deep-misgivings-about-the-state-of-education/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Over time, yes, countries will need to look at specific GMO products like they look at drugs today, where they don't approve them all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/over-time-yes-countries-will-need-to-look-at-specific-gmo-products/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Competition is always a fantastic thing, and the computer industry is intensely competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/competition-is-always-a-fantastic-thing-and-the-computer-industry-is/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I don't think there's anything unique about human intellience. All the nuerons in the brain that make up perceptions and emotions operate in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-don-t-think-there-s-anything-unique-about-human-intellience-all-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [At every juncture, advanced tools have been the key to a new wave of applications, and each wave of applications has been key to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/at-every-juncture-advanced-tools-have-been-the-key-to-a-new-wave-of/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Software is more important than hardware.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/software-is-more-important-than-hardware/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Talking to mothers, always brings it home because they're so anxious to do everything they can for their kids and so tragic for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/talking-to-mothers-always-brings-it-home-because-they-re-so-anxious/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) [Explore all 1,165 Bill Gates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) ## More Ceo quotes > [When you're young and you have money, you become the CEO, automatically, of life, of your family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-haim/when-you-re-young-and-you-have-money-you-become-the-ceo-automatically/) [Corey Haim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-haim/) > [I took on the role of CEO, which involves directing the Management Team and overall day-to-day operations of 500.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-tsai/i-took-on-the-role-of-ceo-which-involves-directing-the-management/) [Christine Tsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-tsai/) > [I learned a lesson that I don't ever want to be a CEO.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilcox/i-learned-a-lesson-that-i-don-t-ever-want-to-be-a-ceo/) [Larry Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilcox/) > [Strategy is not a solo sport, even if you're the CEO.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-mckeown/strategy-is-not-a-solo-sport-even-if-you-re-the-ceo/) [Max McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-mckeown/) > [For any CEO that is skeptical at all: you have to create a social enterprise today!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-ahrendts/for-any-ceo-that-is-skeptical-at-all-you-have-to-create-a-social/) [Angela Ahrendts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-ahrendts/) > [I draw the line at some things. Some things I won't do for any amount of money. Like for instance, there's a couple of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-draw-the-line-at-some-things-some-things-i-won-t-do-for-any-amount/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [I want to share that I had and still do, and a great relationship with Angela Ahrendts. She was the CEO of Burberry. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-e-glaser/i-want-to-share-that-i-had-and-still-do-and-a-great-relationship-with/) [Judith E. Glaser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-e-glaser/) > [If the CEO is not going to give you a fair chance, you're probably not going to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/if-the-ceo-is-not-going-to-give-you-a-fair-chance-you-re-probably-not/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) > [I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-have-always-said-if-there-ever-came-a-day-when-i-could-no-longer/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Governor Romney may be running for CEO, I'm running for President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/governor-romney-may-be-running-for-ceo-i-m-running-for-president/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [Culture is what happens when the CEO isn't in the room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collison/culture-is-what-happens-when-the-ceo-isn-t-in-the-room/) [John Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collison/) > [Political journalists love graduate student intelligence, the ability to make clever allusions in seminars, and in 1999-2000 they hassled George W. Bush for not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/political-journalists-love-graduate-student-intelligence-the-ability/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [The deck is still stacked in favor of those already at the top. And there's something wrong with that. There's something wrong when CEOs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/the-deck-is-still-stacked-in-favor-of-those-already-at-the-top-and/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [While they're in WWE, we absolutely have a health and wellness policy. I'll probably always say 'we,' even though I've resigned as the CEO.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-mcmahon/while-they-re-in-wwe-we-absolutely-have-a-health-and-wellness-policy/) [Linda McMahon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-mcmahon/) > [It doesn't make much sense and it's nil premium. They're going to have co-CEOs...which is a very uncomfortable structure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/it-doesn-t-make-much-sense-and-it-s-nil-premium-they-re-going-to-have/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) [Browse all 668 Ceo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceo/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No one person controls Microsoft. 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