24 Lessons that helped Michael Dell “Play nice, but Win” at the biz he founded – Dell Computer

Curiosity, Facts & Data, Commitment, Drive, Grit, Determination, Perseverance, Smartest person, Trustworthiness, Ethics &Integrity, Rate of Change, Change or Die, Ideas are a Commodity, Execution, Teams, Fall down, Get up, Crisis, Victum, Confidence, Humility, Angry, Never Satisfied, Success, Risks, New Tech, Humility, Openness, Fairness & Authenticity, Respect, Optimism, Purpose & Passion.

A Little Bio. “I was always fascinated by computers – since I was a young kid. But my professional journey started in 1984, when I founded Dell Technologies with only $1,000 at the age of 19 in college”.

“I had an evolving vison of how technology — personal computers, network servers, data storage & software — should be designed, manufactured & sold”. Today, Dell remains one of the largest tech companies in the world.

“My philosophy is to play nice but win. The following, in no particular order, are the principles, traits, ideals and lessons that have helped me and our company succeed:

1. Curiosity. It’s so important to always be learning. You want to have big ears. To listen, to learn, & to be curious. To be open to ambiguity. Design your product from the customer’s point of view. After all, they’re the ones that buy your product.
2. Start with Facts & Data to make Decisions. Be objective, humble + willing to change your mind – if the facts & data suggest that’s what is needed. But in the end, trust your instinct. Gather the facts first, then decide how you feel about it. If you usually use your intuition for the final decision, you’ll probably be right again !!!
3. Commitment, Drive, Grit, Determination, Perseverance & indomitable will (not the abdominal snowman !!! ]. You must have these qualities in order to win. Don’t be afraid to use them, if you feel you are on the right path.
4. Try never to be the Smartest person in the room. Surround your­self with people who challenge, teach, inspire & push you to be your very best. And learn to recognize & appreciate people’s different talents. Figure out how you can ask them for help to find out what you want.
5. Trustworthiness, Ethics &Integrity are paramount. You can’t be successful over time without these values. Markets are long-term efficient. If I make a commitment and don’t meet it, or if I deliver a bad product or service, no one will want to buy from me again. Give it your very best, then you know you can rest and eventually be blessed !!!
6. Your Rate of Change is only increasing. It will not slow down in the future. So you need to keep up what’s happening in your niche and beyond. So you can use/apply the latest to become more efficient & effective.
7. You must Change or Die. There are only the “Quick and the Dead”. Organizations need to constantly re-create themselves – understanding and anticipating all the factors, including (and especially) technology – that will impact them in the future. “Do or Die !!!

”Celebrate & appreciate your achievements so far, but always look ahead to the next opportunity. Michael Dell, Founder, Chairman & CEO, Dell Tech

A. More Leadership Lessons

1. Ideas are a Commodity. Execution of them is not. Coming up with a great idea or strategy is necessary but, not sufficient for success. You must execute. This requires detailed operational discipline and understanding. Make a Plan; share your plan for feedback, then launch it. Review it once a month to make sure it keeps up with the environment.
2. Teams win more Championships, not Sole Players. Depending on the product or service, get one or more Co-Founders. Recruit a Team that fills in any gap + are also passionate about your Mission & Vision. Then put the Team ahead of you, so you encourage their help & ideas. Reward their ideas verbally & with awards or thank-you gift.
3. Life is about taking a Punch, falling down, getting back up and fighting again !!! Edison tried 10,000 times befor the light bulb lasted. Disney was fired from a newspaper. “No imagination !!! Oprah fired from her first TV job. Spielberg rejected from USC Arts School many times, Col Sanders fired from dozens of jobs before starting KFC. Einstein flunked out of school. JK Rowling was living off welfare when Harry Potter final hit. Harrison Ford was told he never would succeed in the movies. Henry Ford failed 2x before he succeeded.
4. Never let a good Crisis go to waste — and if there is no crisis, create one (as a way of motivating change & progress). During a crisis, focus on what you can control. Crises often create new opportunities. Instead of wallowing in your problems, find the opportunity. “Success is a lousy teacher. Makes you think you can loose. Your most unhappy Customers are your greatest source of learning. I want people who give you feedback, so I can learn. Never let success go to your head. Don’t let failure go to your heart. Fear not trying more than failure. Failure is only a detour. Dare to go for Gr8. You haven’t failed, if you haven’t been trying hard enuff.”
5. Don’t be a Victim – ever. Victum-hood is the condition of feeling that you have been hurt, damaged, or made to suffer -especially when you want people to feel sorry for you because of this or use it as an excuse for something. It’s a losing mindset. Self-determination requires focusing on what you can control, putting your foot on the gas and drive forward .
6. Confidence, not Arrogance. Humility, not Ego. Confidence is full trust; belief in our power, trustworthiness, & reliability. Having the confidence in their ability to succeed. Arrogance is an insulting way of thinking or behaving that comes from believing that you are better, smarter, or more important than other people. Humility as the absence of any feelings of being better than others. Ego of having the idea or opinion of an inflated perception of yourself – especially your feeling of your own importance & ability.
7. Everybody gets Angry. But don’t stay angry. Anger is counter-productive. Instead, be motivated by a desire to help others. It is wise to direct your anger towards problems — not people; to focus your energies on answers — not excuses. Whoever is able to anger you, is able to control you. Anger is one letter short of danger. If you don’t control your temper. Your temper will control you. When angry we let others’ mistakes punish us. To forgive others is to be kind to yourself. The opposite of anger is not calmness, its empathy. Take a deep breath & see the other person’s way.
8. Be (as we like to say at Dell) pleased, but never satisfied. This means improving continuously — the Japanese call it Kaizen. It means being in a race with no finish line. Celebrate and appreciate your achievements, but always look ahead to the next big goal or opportunity.
9. Success is a horrible Teacher. Setbacks and failures make you stronger over time — if you let yourself learn from them. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose. Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. Losers quit when they fail. Winners fail until they succeed. Don’t think you are so damn smart, that you can’t learn anything else. A winning strategy must include losing a little to learn. Push your boundaries to break-out.

B. willing to take Risks – Try new things – to get Rewards

1. Risks: As the rate of change increases, small steps with new tech will build a path to success. “Why not go out on a limb? That’s where the fruit is. Take risks: if you win, you will be happy; if you lose, you will be wiser. Taking risks & winning gives me more energy to try more, You must take the risk, to get the reward.”
2. New Tech: “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build your own door. Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change. The greatest people are people who have an infinite capacity to not know what can’t be done. By keeping up with the trends in technology, we believe that we can change the world. Our future success is directly proportional to our ability to understand, adopt & integrate new technology into our world. Our future success is directly proportional to our ability to understand, adopt & integrate new technology into our work.

C. the next Leadership Lessons

1. Humility is the #1 foundation of all virtues. The trait of a great person is a willingness to be humble when needed. Humility is attentive patience. True humility is staying teachable, regardless of how much you already know. Humility is a great quality of leadership. Be humble in your confidence yet courageous in your character !!!
2. Openness: An open heart is an open mind. Keep an Open Heart, Open Mind & an Open Hand ready to reach out to help others. Learn something new each day – keep your eyes, ears and most of all your mind open. Open your Mind, before your Mouth. Keep your mind open to new opportunities. They are closer than you think – if you’re ready !!!
3. Fairness is the ability to rise above your prejudices. Fairness is what justice really is. Win or lose; do it fairly. Everyone is a possible Star & deserves the right to twinkle in their own universe. The other side should be heard as well. Stand up for what is right against the wrong. It only needs a good person to do nothing for evil to triumph.
4. Authenticity is at the heart of success. Just be your self. Authenticity trumps cool every time. Only the truth of who you really are, if realized, will set you free. Tis the birthplace of innovation, creativity & change. It’s a privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are. You attract the right things when you know who you really are. Tis the courage to be yourself.
5. Have Respect for others; and treat them as you want to be treated. Respect is one of life’s greatest treasures, earned, not given. Most good relationships are built on mutual trust & respect. Respect is how to treat everyone. You can’t respect yourself if you’re afraid to be who you really are. Respect yourself, respect your own inner voice & follow it !!!
6. Optimism … obviously! Finding ways to grow optimism in yourself will make you more alive & much happier. Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be drawn to you. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude. It takes courage to believe the best is yet to come. Approach every problem with the optimism of finding the best solution. Optimism is the one quality most associated with success & happiness than any other.

C. find Purpose & Passion in your Life.

1. Purpose of life is to find your talent and use it to benefit others. Effort & courage are not enough without purpose & direction. Great minds have purposes; others have wishes. The purpose of our lives is to be happy and help others be more happy. The purpose of life is in action – not thought only. Success demands focus of your purpose. Success is knowing your purpose in life, growing to reach your maximum potential, then sowing seeds that benefit others. Be part of something greater than yourself !!!
2. Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you. Passion is the fuel of inspiration. Greatness comes from living with purpose & passion. Following your passion, helps you to be the best you, you can be. Without passion, there is no genius. Dare to dream, live with passion. Make your life an epic extraordinary adventure. Creating is the most intense excitement one can come to know. Without passion you don’t have energy, without energy you have nothing !!!
3. Who is Michael Dell now? He is the chairman and CEO of Dell Technologies. With revenues of $94 billion & 158,000 team members, Dell Technologies is one of the world’s largest IT companies. Michael is also the author of “Play Nice But Win: A CEO’s Journey From Founder to Leader.” Follow him on Twitter @MichaelDell.

Comments: Any other info or quotes on Michael Dells Lessons?

From CNBC 10-21 enhanced by Peter/CXO Wiz4.biz

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