When you hold the title of richest man in the world for 18 years, you will have a few quirks. Bill Gates, the cofounder of Microsoft, may now be known for his philanthropy and thoughtful demeanor. Still, in the early days of building his tech empire, he was something else entirely – a self-described workaholic with an almost obsessive attention to detail.
One of his most surprising habits was memorizing his employees’ license plates so he could monitor their work habits.
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Fanatical Leadership, Microsoft-Style
In a 2016 interview with BBC Radio 4, Gates admitted, "I was quite fanatical about work." He wasn't exaggerating. The man who rarely took vacations and didn't believe in weekends wasn't just pushing himself – he was also keeping a close watch on everyone else.
"I knew everybody's license plates," Gates revealed. "I could look out in the parking lot and see when did people come in [and] when were they leaving." This level of micromanagement might sound absurd now, but in the high-pressure world of 1980s Microsoft, it was part of the culture.
Microsoft's cofounder, the late Paul Allen, wrote in a 2011 article for Vanity Fair that Gates's relentless drive defined the company's early years. "Microsoft was a high-stress environment because Bill drove others as hard as he drove himself," Allen recalled. "He was growing into the taskmaster who would prowl the parking lot on weekends to see who'd made it in."
The Toll of Intensity
While Gates's intensity helped Microsoft become one of the most successful companies in history, it didn't come without a cost. In Vanity Fair, Allen described how Gates's relentless demands could get under people's skin. Employees were already working grueling hours, but Gates's watchful eye added another layer of stress.
Allen shared the story of Bob Greenberg, a Microsoft employee who worked 81 hours in just four days to meet a project deadline. When Greenberg finally told Gates he planned to take the next day off, Gates responded, "Why would you want to do that?" According to Allen, "He genuinely couldn't understand it. He never seemed to need to recharge."
The Evolving Gates
Over time, Gates realized that this intense approach wasn't sustainable. During a 2023 commencement speech at Northern Arizona University, he reflected on his early leadership style: "When I was your age, I didn't believe in vacations. I didn't even believe in weekends. I pushed everyone around me to work very long hours."
However, Gates said fatherhood and maturity forced him to reassess. "As I got older – and especially once I became a father – I realized that both in terms of doing your best work and having a great life, that intensity was not always appropriate. Don't wait as long as I did to learn this lesson."
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From License Plates to Legacy
While the young Bill Gates might have been a parking lot-patrolling perfectionist, his drive undeniably shaped Microsoft into a tech powerhouse. With decades of reflection and a legacy of leadership, Gates has moved from micromanaging to mentoring.
It's an important reminder that even the most intense leaders can learn, grow and change – and sometimes, the quirks that seem strangest in hindsight are the very ones that build the foundation for greatness.
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