‘You cannot grow if…,’ Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella dishes out his best career advice

Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, never expected to lead one of the world's most powerful tech companies. In a candid conversation with LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky, he said that when he joined the company in 1992 as a young engineer, becoming the CEO was "not even a thought" in his long-term career plan.

However, he was excited to work there. "I remember distinctly walking into building 22 at Microsoft thinking that's the greatest job on Earth I [could] have, and I don't need anything more," Nadella said in an interview with LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky.

Instead of being forward-minded, Nadella focused on excelling in the role he had at the time, and one of the most important lessons he learned during his decades at Microsoft is simple: "Don't wait for your next job to do your best work."

"There was never a time where I thought the job I was doing, all through my 30 years of Microsoft, that somehow I was doing that as a way to some other job," he explained. "I felt the job I was doing there was the most important thing. I genuinely felt it."

According to Nadella, instead of perceiving your current job as a hindrance to reaching your career objectives, you should regard it as an opportunity to showcase your eagerness, dedication, and eagerness to learn. By adopting this mindset, you may be able to accelerate your promotion or salary increase more quickly than any long-term plan could accomplish.

During his time at Microsoft, Nadella continually adjusted to different teams and divisions, while staying abreast of rapidly-evolving technologies. He spearheaded the creation of several intricate Microsoft products, including Bing and Xbox Live.

"You cannot grow if you don't think your growth comes because of what you're doing," he added.

If you find yourself in a professional rut or lacking a sense of purpose in your job, Nadella also has guidance for such situations. In his thirties, a discussion with Doug Burgum, presently the governor of North Dakota, prompted him to contemplate his mission at Microsoft.

Burgum pointed out the importance of thinking about a deeper meaning to work, one that's more than transactional, since we spend so much time at our jobs. It led Nadella to ask himself: "Why am I at Microsoft? What is it that gives me the energy at Microsoft, day in and day out?"

That motivation came, he said, from "curiosity, a love of ideas, and the ability to translate that into impact."

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