Ballmer: We Don't Need No Stinking iPhones! -- Redmondmag.com

Barney's Blog

Ballmer: We Don't Need No Stinking iPhones!

The reports I've read about last week's Microsoft company meeting expressed horror and surprise that CEO Steve Ballmer would rip an iPhone out of an employee's hands, threaten to stomp it into tiny Apple pieces, and then periodically berate the employee during his speech.

At first, I figure Ballmer just wigged out and was truly outraged. Then I remembered a recent dinner with a guy who wrote these speeches for Steve for two years. Ballmer always wants to have an impact -- and will take chances to get one. My guess: This was planned all along. Ballmer has the last laugh.

We need more CEOs with spunk. Who is your most entertaining high-tech leader and why? Express your admiration by writing dbarney@redmondmag.com.

Posted by Doug Barney on 09/14/2009 at 10:23 AM

Reader Comments:

Tue, Sep 15, 2009

I saw Bill Gates do a similar thing back in '93 or so, at the Office 4.3 rollout in Chicago. An aide brought him a laptop that didn't work, and then the 'flustered' aide dropped it and it shattered on the stage by the podium. Pure Schtick. Probably in the MS in-house exec training manual.

Mon, Sep 14, 2009 Ken Melbourne , Australia

I am not a Steve Ballmer fan. What I would like to see is less marketing smaltz and bully boy tactics and someone who can focus on LISTENING to its customer base , being really creative and innovative and who gives the market what it wants.I don't know Ballmer personally but his public persona always makes me feel annoyed and angry about him personally and Microsoft as a company.So in Dr Phils words - hows that working for you !