Microsoft Wins as Top Executives Continue to Leave

I reading Om Malik's post titled The Silent Microsoft Exodus which lays out the successive resignation of a number of top executives of Microsoft and can't help but think that the software giant is on a win situation regardless what the public thinks. In an excerpt:

I am not an expert, and after reading all the trades, have not been able to quantify what it really means, and that is why I turn to you, gentle reader, to explain things to me.

John Lauer, who headed Microsoft’s Small and Midsize Solutions & Partner Group, is going off to start his own company. Of course, you already know Brian Valentine, a Senior VP (responsible for OS) leaving the company to join Amazon.com. Doug Burgum, the SVP responsible for bulking up Microsoft’s ERP business left last week as well. He was the CEO of Great Plains Software, a company Microsoft bought in April 2001.

Attrition is a major issue in companies that include even the most admired ones like Microsoft; the only difference is media pay attention to Microsoft employees leaving, as if the software giant is in chaos. Is this a cause of concern? I don't have the actual number of top executives leaving the company but I guess their attrition rate is below 5 percent and if so, they are in good shape, especially in the technology industry.

Is Microsoft at Loss when People Leave?

As long as the employee and Microsoft parted in good terms, it could actually bring good and better business opportunities and relationships to Microsoft with their former employees' new company (I wrote a positive perspective when Windows Vista SVP left Microsoft for Amazon). The position left by the employee give opportunity for people to progress and fill-in the vacancy. Sometimes, Microsoft could opt to hire someone from another company for the position which brings a whole new perspective and culture to Microsoft essential to their continuous growth and development. I would believe that Microsoft has put a system that values teamwork more than individualistic heroism and as such, this system helps the company transition when people leave.

Losing people is painful both professionally and personally but as the saying goes -- when one door closes, another one opens.

[tags]Microsoft[/tags]

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