--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm a shareholder in Microsoft Corp. of…" description: "\"I'm a shareholder in Microsoft Corp. of some size, and while I don't work for the place anymore, I think a lot about that investment, how - as an outsi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/260/steve-ballmer-3273_add_i-m-a-shareholder-in-microsoft-corp-of-s_3184249.png" --- # I'm a shareholder in Microsoft Corp. of some size, and… ![“I'm a shareholder in Microsoft Corp. of some size, and while I don't work for the place anymore, I think a lot about that investment, how - as an outsider - might I add value or not add value? Do I believe that things are headed in a good direction? So I wouldn't say I spend the majority of my…” quote by Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/260/steve-ballmer-3273_add_i-m-a-shareholder-in-microsoft-corp-of-s_3184249.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/260/steve-ballmer-3273_add_i-m-a-shareholder-in-microsoft-corp-of-s_3184249.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/260/steve-ballmer-3273_add_i-m-a-shareholder-in-microsoft-corp-of-s_3184249.png) > “I'm a shareholder in Microsoft Corp. of some size, and while I don't work for the place anymore, I think a lot about that investment, how - as an outsider - might I add value or not add value? Do I believe that things are headed in a good direction? So I wouldn't say I spend the majority of my time on that, but I spend some time on that as well.” [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An investor reflects on his role and the future direction of a company he owns. **In simple terms:** He ponders adding value to Microsoft. Key Takeaway Consider active, informed ownership. Themes investment shareholder responsibility future outlook Mood analytical strategic Type business reflective When to use this quote - annual shareholder meeting - investment club - strategic planning Key Concepts finance strategic thinking corporate governance Questions to Reflect On - How can you contribute meaningfully without overcommitting? - What indicators signal a good time to intervene? A Different Perspective Balancing involvement with other duties can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Investment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investment/) [Outsiders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outsiders/) [Shareholders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shareholders/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Value](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [Prove to yourself that your business, in micro-scale at least, creates value. If you believe it, you'll find it that much easier to convince…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/prove-to-yourself-that-your-business-in-micro-scale-at-least-creates/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [I kind of know who I am as a man. There's a value system I believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-kind-of-know-who-i-am-as-a-man-there-s-a-value-system-i-believe-in/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [“Tell me what you value and I might believe you,” management guru Peter Drucker once said, “but show me your calendar and your bank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-kotler/tell-me-what-you-value-and-i-might-believe-you-management-guru-peter/) [Steven Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-kotler/) > [Watch with your eyes wide open. If you have to disguise your thoughts, your feelings, your actions; what is the value of your being?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammi-post/watch-with-your-eyes-wide-open-if-you-have-to-disguise-your-thoughts/) [Tammi Post](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammi-post/) > [That was honestly one of the biggest learnings for us: to stay true to the value we believe our company offers, and to not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huda-kattan/that-was-honestly-one-of-the-biggest-learnings-for-us-to-stay-true-to/) [Huda Kattan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huda-kattan/) > [UNTITLED3: We cannot fully love another until we have come to value ourselves. Only then can we believe in the worth of that which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/untitled3-we-cannot-fully-love-another-until-we-have-come-to-value/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When one tries to master something, it ends in either success or failure. But it is in the attempt itself where you find the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oki/when-one-tries-to-master-something-it-ends-in-either-success-or/) Oki > [LOVE includes; Lessons, Obsession, Value, believe it or not Enmity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriella-s/love-includes-lessons-obsession-value-believe-it-or-not-enmity/) [Gabriella S](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriella-s/) > [In every difficult situation is potential value. Believe this, then begin looking for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/in-every-difficult-situation-is-potential-value-believe-this-then/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [Our people, our shareholders, me, Bill Gates, we expect to change the world in every way, to succeed wildly at everything we touch, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/our-people-our-shareholders-me-bill-gates-we-expect-to-change-the/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [As a shareholder I have expressed my frustration with not getting more information about revenue and margins from the cloud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/as-a-shareholder-i-have-expressed-my-frustration-with-not-getting/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [I'm not an insider. I'm not on the board. I'm an outsider. That implies a certain kind of separation ... because the company can't,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-m-not-an-insider-i-m-not-on-the-board-i-m-an-outsider-that-implies/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [ I meet with Satya \[Nadella\] what probably amounts to four or five times a year - either to brainstorm something or just as a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-meet-with-satya-nadella-what-probably-amounts-to-four-or-five-times/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [At Microsoft I had many years of experience and history and seeing connections. With my direct reports, the job at Microsoft was to delegate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/at-microsoft-i-had-many-years-of-experience-and-history-and-seeing/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [I’d like to own Microsoft shares until I either give something to charity or I die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-d-like-to-own-microsoft-shares-until-i-either-give-something-to/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) ## More by Steve Ballmer > [I think PCs are going to continue to shift in form factor. The real question is: What's a PC?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-think-pcs-are-going-to-continue-to-shift-in-form-factor-the-real/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [There's a lot of Google fascination out there and we share it, and we're going to compete, we're going to compete very, very hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/there-s-a-lot-of-google-fascination-out-there-and-we-share-it-and-we/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [I’d like to own Microsoft shares until I either give something to charity or I die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-d-like-to-own-microsoft-shares-until-i-either-give-something-to/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [Every NBA arena has six cameras in the ceiling. The question is what does the software do with video feeds? How to surface that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/every-nba-arena-has-six-cameras-in-the-ceiling-the-question-is-what/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [I think there are lots of opportunities to improve the product. When you read the press, people say, "Oh, the product needs improvement." I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-think-there-are-lots-of-opportunities-to-improve-the-product-when/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [The way I do things I usually always prefer to have a very clear strategy and be very focused. At the same time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/the-way-i-do-things-i-usually-always-prefer-to-have-a-very-clear/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [Accessible design is good design.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/accessible-design-is-good-design/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [At Microsoft I had many years of experience and history and seeing connections. With my direct reports, the job at Microsoft was to delegate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/at-microsoft-i-had-many-years-of-experience-and-history-and-seeing/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [ \[Apple and RIM\] are probably restricted, in some sense, to a certain maximum. ... If you want to reach more people than that, you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/apple-and-rim-are-probably-restricted-in-some-sense-to-a-certain/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [This is all about having great leaders who can drive agile innovation and agile decision-making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/this-is-all-about-having-great-leaders-who-can-drive-agile-innovation/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [I think the biggest mistake most people make when they pick their first job is they don't worry enough about whether they'll love the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-think-the-biggest-mistake-most-people-make-when-they-pick-their/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [ I don't think there is one size that fits all \[\] I've been to too many meetings with journalists who spent the first 10… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-don-t-think-there-is-one-size-that-fits-all-i-ve-been-to-too-many/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [In many ways I think the company's doing quite a good job. If you look at the transition to Office 365 we started when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/in-many-ways-i-think-the-company-s-doing-quite-a-good-job-if-you-look/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [The lifeblood of our business is that R&D spend. There's nothing that flows through a pipe or down a wire or anything else. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/the-lifeblood-of-our-business-is-that-r-d-spend-there-s-nothing-that/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [Certainly, we continue to bring in new people. We'll hire, net new, over 4,000 people this year, and attract great people into the company.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/certainly-we-continue-to-bring-in-new-people-we-ll-hire-net-new-over/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) [Explore all 134 Steve Ballmer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) ## More Add quotes > [Most marriages don't add two people together. They subtract one from the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/most-marriages-don-t-add-two-people-together-they-subtract-one-from/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [A 'modern' man has nothing to add to modernism, if only because he has nothing to oppose it with. The well-adapted drop off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/a-modern-man-has-nothing-to-add-to-modernism-if-only-because-he-has/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [Observation and theory get on best when they are mixed together, both helping one another in the pursuit of truth. It is a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/observation-and-theory-get-on-best-when-they-are-mixed-together-both/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [I may add that we have more than once stated our willingness to conclude nonaggression pacts with the states neighboring our own!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-may-add-that-we-have-more-than-once-stated-our-willingness-to/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [New generations of humans inherit the acquired discoveries of generations past, allowing cosmic insight to accumulate without limit. Each discovery of science therefore adds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/new-generations-of-humans-inherit-the-acquired-discoveries-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Thirty days is just about the right amount of time to add a new habit or subtract a habit - like watching the news…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cutts/thirty-days-is-just-about-the-right-amount-of-time-to-add-a-new-habit/) [Matt Cutts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cutts/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The Greeks said grandly in their tragic phrase, 'Let no one be called happy till his death;' to which I would add, 'Let no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/the-greeks-said-grandly-in-their-tragic-phrase-let-no-one-be-called/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [Mostly we just add to the piles of rainbow glass that's been blown off the exteriors of the cany-colored buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/mostly-we-just-add-to-the-piles-of-rainbow-glass-that-s-been-blown/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Global is a unifying bond for people. Once they get outside their own heads and their own communities and see themselves in a broader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-calvin/global-is-a-unifying-bond-for-people-once-they-get-outside-their-own/) [Kathy Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-calvin/) Browse all 2,710 Add quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm a shareholder in Microsoft Corp. of some size, and while I don't work for the place anymore, I think a lot about that investment, how - as an outsider - might I add value or not add value? Do I believe that things are headed in a good direction? So I wouldn't say I spend the majority of my time on that, but I spend some time on that as well.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steve Ballmer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-m-a-shareholder-in-microsoft-corp-of-some-size-and-while-i-don-t/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Add" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-m-a-shareholder-in-microsoft-corp-of-some-size-and-while-i-don-t/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/260/steve-ballmer-3273_add_i-m-a-shareholder-in-microsoft-corp-of-s_3184249.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/260/steve-ballmer-3273_add_i-m-a-shareholder-in-microsoft-corp-of-s_3184249.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/260/steve-ballmer-3273_add_i-m-a-shareholder-in-microsoft-corp-of-s_3184249.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm a shareholder in Microsoft Corp. of some size, and while I don't work for the place anymore, I think a…” — Steve Ballmer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Steve Ballmer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm a shareholder in Microsoft Corp....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-m-a-shareholder-in-microsoft-corp-of-some-size-and-while-i-don-t/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-m-a-shareholder-in-microsoft-corp-of-some-size-and-while-i-don-t/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```