Preview

Bill & Melinda Gates Case Study

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
802 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Bill & Melinda Gates Case Study
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is a foundation that supports other organizations who share its guiding belief that every life has equal value. Located in Seattle, Washington, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have an asset trust endowment of 36.2 billion dollars as of September 30, 2012. It supports grantees in all 50 states and 100 countries internationally in areas of global development, global health, United States program, and a smaller charitable support initiative sector. Bill Gates, Melinda Gates, and Warren Buffett give direction to CEO Jeff Raikes and co-chairmen William H. Gates Sr. regarding grant allocation and investments. (Gates Foundation) After reading the Gates Foundation website and the wealth information on those involved in the foundation, I have determined the Big Five Leadership traits that I see in Bill and Melinda Gates. Bill Gates has a strong dimension of surgency because of his dominance within the foundation, he approves grant making strategies and sets the direction of the foundation. As a strong advocate for the foundation Bill Gates demonstrates his extraversion and high energy excitement for the work they do. Melinda Gates presents a strong dimension of openness to experience. Melinda believes in empowering women in impoverish countries and demonstrates flexibility when dealing the challenges she faces in countries where women do not often have a strong foothold in the community. Together Bill and Melinda Gates share a dimension of agreeableness because of their sensitivity to issues across the world and their desire to seek out and create relationships with grantees who share their beliefs. Bill and Melinda Gates have several traits of effective leadership. They have a high need for affiliation and socialized power. McClelland identified power as neither good or bad and his research supports the idea that they would seek out socialization with like-minded individuals and seek to lead them. Bill and Melinda Gates pioneer


Cited: Gates Foundation. N.p., 2012. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. .

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    The study of leadership has been a debated topic for centuries. The leader influences others, has followers, and leaders will come to the forefront during a crisis. “Leaders are people with a clear idea of what they want, why they want it and are able to think and act creatively in non-routine situations” (infed.org, 2012).…

    • 738 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Kirkpatrick, S, A., & Locke, E. A. (1991). Leadership: Do Traits Matter?” Academy of Management Executive, 5(2), 48-60.…

    • 3042 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    According to Robbins & Judge, the increasing rate of change in the external environment of organizations and the many new challenges facing leaders suggest that success as a leader in the twenty-first century will require a higher level of skill and some new competencies (2013). Effective leaders must be visionaries, inspirational, charismatic, strategic, focused, persuasive, likeable, decisive and open to positive and negative feedback. The most memorable leaders observe the dynamics around them and take pride in staying ahead of the game. Effective leaders learn how to overcome adversity and make sure that the same mistakes are never repeated. Oprah Winfrey, influential, dynamic, and powerful, has the leadership traits, characteristics and qualities of an effective leader. She is trusted, respected, and admired by people all over the world. This paper will analyze and identify Ms. Winfrey’s leadership characteristics and provide examples of leadership qualities that have contributed to her success. After discussing leadership theories and styles with my mentor, this paper will also explain my leadership style and my ideas and plans for improving my effectiveness.…

    • 1147 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The foundation currently supports other non-profit organizations that work toward the foundations goals. If Bill Gates could turn the foundation around and actively work towards their goals by doing something themselves, they may achieve greater success as other organization seeking support can follow their lead.…

    • 998 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    This paper will compare and contrast the characteristics of two leaders business both residing in the United States of America namely Sarah Palin and Winfrey Oprah . In analysing the effectiveness of their leadership, this paper will evaluate the traits, personality, history, experience and values of each leader. The ability to bring people together around shared beliefs and a common organisational purpose to create a sense of belonging is a prerequisite for an…

    • 2626 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Leaders who have great power and wealth have unleashed the power within themselves to produce good or even great results with their lives. They have become the people who can influence others and show them the way. They have accomplished big things and earned a lot of money in the process.…

    • 552 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The idea of leadership and the traits that contribute to it has experienced a fascinating transformation over time. During the evolution of leadership research, information was obtained, and questions continued, but most interesting of all is the cyclical nature of the trait-based perspective of leadership. There appeared to be recurrent questions and themes as research attempts to determine the formula for effective…

    • 777 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Mlk Research Paper

    • 1513 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Citations: Campbell, Scott. "Great Leaders Grow Deep Roots The Six Characteristics of Expectional Leaders." . N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Jan 2012. .…

    • 1513 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Good to Great

    • 1747 Words
    • 7 Pages

    He starts off by identifying leadership as the key in running a great company. He points out that leaders who become beacons of success are the ones who actually shy away from the spotlight. They are not necessarily silent or reserved but they do not seek attention. Jim Collins describes them as non-celebrities. These people are modest and efficient. One could say that getting their names popularized is not their driving force. They simply just want their respective companies to succeed in its industry.…

    • 1747 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Many would leap to the conclusion that Gates will one day be recognized as the most important person of his generation because for over 15 years he was the richest person in the world. Such achievements, however, will likely seem small in the scope of history. There will come a day when many fortunes dwarf the Gates fortune, making the accumulation of his wealth small and less meaningful (Thorpe, 2012). With his wife Melinda at his side, the two have created the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. From poverty to health, to education, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation focuses on offering the opportunity to dramatically improve the quality of life for billions of people around the world (Gates Foundation,…

    • 1419 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Leadership Do Traits Matter

    • 7551 Words
    • 31 Pages

    The study ot leader traits has a long and controversial history. While research shows that the possession of certain traits alone does not guarantee leadership success, fhere is evidence that effective leaders are different from other people in certain key respects. Key leader traits include: drive (a broad term which includes achievement, motivation, ambition, energy, tenacity, and initiative): leadership motivation (the desire fo lead but not to seek power as an end in itself): honesty and integrity: self-confidence (which is associated with emotional stability): cognitive ability: and knowledge of the business. There is less clear evidence for traits such as charisma, creativity and flexibility. We believe that the key leader traits help the leader acquire necessary skills: formulate an organizational vision and an effective plan for pursuing it: and take the necessary steps to implement the vision in reality.…

    • 7551 Words
    • 31 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Analysis of Melinda Gates

    • 2194 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Every year since March 8, 1911 a special day is celebrated for women all around the world known as, “International Women’s Day.” This day is not only important for women to reflect on what they have overcame economically, politically, and socially, but it also allows them to come together to continue to raise awareness and study the struggles still presented for women worldwide. Melinda Gates is not only a business women and philanthropist; she is married to one of the richest human beings on earth, Bill Gates. I did not choose this piece of rhetoric because of Melinda’s high status in society, but as a woman myself I find this piece of rhetoric as valuable for women worldwide. It is just as important today for women’s voices to continue to be heard and for them to be honored for their sacrifices, as it was ages ago. In the article written by Melinda Gates on CNN.com, Melinda reveals the challenges women still face and how we can make sure all women count by assembling important data to prove to world leaders that empowering women really does make a difference.…

    • 2194 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Kaplan, Klebanov, and Sorenson (2009) also added some traits of effective leaders from their research on successful CEOs like attention to detail, efficiency, persistency, and analytical…

    • 2824 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Learning and Meg Whitman

    • 1199 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The leader, who I admire and choose to analyze, is Meg Whitman (Margaret Cushing Whitman). She has been the Chief Executive Officer and President of Hewlett-Packard Company and held the important positions of other companies. The position, which made her to become a famous and successful CEO, was the CEO of eBay.…

    • 1199 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    As he would reward himself for being a good influence on his entrepreneurial endeavors, Gates firmly believed in financial incentives. Just as he made himself rich, so did he make his managers rich. Extremely rich. According to some reports, about a third of company employees were thought to be millionaires. The cream of the crop could have been worth $100 million. Microsoft employees say that they find it comfortable being with the company, adding that no matter how huge Microsoft is, there is still a “small company feel, with open communications between management and the employees” (Vault Employer Profile: Microsoft, 2003).…

    • 543 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays