Microsoft co-founder and billionaire Bill Gates is an inspiration to many– be it through his forward-thinking approach to life or his philanthropic works. Earlier this year, Gates made the headlines for announcing that he is donating a major chunk of his wealth to charity and so, his children won’t inherit much of his money– a move that took many by surprise. Unlike most billionaires, Gates’ three children with his ex-wife Melinda have carved a niche for themselves in different fields of works, thus creating an identity of their own and not living under their famous parents’ shadows.And now, in a recent social media post, Gates shared that he is entering the start-up world again by working in his youngest daughter’s company! While the reason behind this move by Bill Gates is heartwarming, what’s even more wonderful is the lesson in leadership one can take away from this. Sharing the news, Gates wrote in a LinkedIn post a few days ago, “I’ve entered the startup world again… When your daughter asks if you’d be willing to work a shift in customer service at her startup, the only right answer is yes.”For the unversed, Bill Gates’ youngest daughter Phoebe is an entrepreneur. She has co-founded Phia along with her Stanford friend Sophia Kianni. Phia is a unique platform that uses AI and helps compare the prices of new and second-hand high-end products from across 40,000 websites– thus being the Booking.com of the fashion world.Talking why he thought of working a shift in customer service of his daughter’s startup, Gates further wrote, “I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how technology can make systems more efficient, equitable, and accessible. But I’ve learned over the years that the best way to understand how something works, or where it breaks, is to go straight to the people using it.“That’s why I’ll be joining the Phia customer experience team for a day this week. Phia is a fashion-tech tool built to make shopping smarter and more sustainable, and it’s the brainchild of my daughter Phoebe Gates and her co-founder Sophia Kianni,” he added.Now, that’s humble lesson in leadership one could learn from Gates. Isn’t it? Commenting on Phia and the idea of joining Phia for a day, Gates further wrote, “They’ve built an app and browser extension that helps people shop smarter by finding the best prices, surfacing secondhand options, and showing lower-impact alternatives across thousands of online retailers. It’s been inspiring to watch them tackle a massive challenge, rethinking the way we shop, by meeting users where they are. And now, I’ll be doing the same. Looking forward to getting back into the startup scene. Hopefully, I won’t break anything (no promises).”5 other leadership lessons to learn from Bill Gates1. Embrace lifelong learningBill Gates is a voracious reader who reads over 50 books a year. He believes continuous learning is key to personal and professional growth. Great leaders stay curious, ask questions, and seek new knowledge constantly.2. Think long-termFrom founding Microsoft to addressing global health challenges through the Gates Foundation, Gates always plays the long game. Leaders must focus on sustainable impact, not just short-term wins.3. Build the right teamGates knew early on that surrounding himself with smart, capable people was essential. He valued collaboration over ego. A good leader doesn’t have all the answers— but builds a team that can find them.4. Learn from failureEven Microsoft had its share of missteps, yet it overcame them to become one of the leading tech-companies today. And so, one can learn from Gates that leadership is about resilience and course-correction.5. Use wealth and influence for goodAfter stepping down from Microsoft, Gates focused on philanthropy, tackling global issues like disease, education, and poverty. True leadership isn’t just about profit— it’s about purpose and responsibility.
