Melinda Gates reflects on Warren Buffett’s timeless advice for career success
Melinda French Gates credits a piece of career advice from billionaire investor Warren Buffett as a key to her success. In an interview with LinkedIn News, she recalled Buffett telling her to “find your bullseye”—focus on what truly matters and let go of the distractions. His advice was simple but powerful: “Find your bullseye of what you’re working on and let the other things fall away. You’ll feel better if you keep your talents in that bullseye and keep working on those issues, and you’ll feel less bad about letting other things go.” This guidance has influenced the way she approaches both her professional life and leadership.
Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway’s long-time CEO, was not only a trustee but also a significant giver to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, donating more than $36 billion between 2006 and 2021. His impact went beyond dollars; as Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman described it, Buffett also gave “the gift of time and advice.”
The power of setting boundaries
For French Gates, Buffett’s counsel was a model for setting boundaries, a skill necessary to prevent burnout. She pointed out the way that “no” can be a potent tool for professionals. “If you know it’s a no right away, don’t linger on it, just say no. The clarity helps you and it helps them,” she explained. Buffett himself has emphasized the importance of focus. In one of his popular quotes, he quoted, “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say ‘no’ to almost everything.” The same has been emphasized in James Clear’s Atomic Habits book, which points towards the importance of saying no to stay on track and in discipline.
A career-defining decision: From IBM to Microsoft
Prior to emerging as a renowned philanthropist, French Gates took a career-altering choice that set the direction for her life. At an early stage of her career, she was recruited by IBM with a secure job, but the hiring manager did something that left her surprised: she advised her to take up a job in a small firm named Microsoft instead. “I was like, ‘I have one more company to go interview with—this little company, Microsoft. It was tiny,’” French Gates recalled. Her manager told her, “If they give you an offer, you should take it.” Despite the uncertainty of moving to Seattle and starting fresh in a new city, French Gates took the advice to heart. “I was so excited about what they were doing. I was like, ‘I want to be part of that.’”
Her decision paid off. She spent nine years at Microsoft, ultimately rising to the role of General Manager of Information Products. Today, Microsoft’s value stands at $3.1 trillion, and French Gates has become one of the wealthiest women in the United States, with a net worth of $15.2 billion.
Championing women in leadership
French Gates is not just concerned with her own achievement but is also outspoken in support of women who lead. She believes that systemic changes are necessary to achieve true gender equality and encourages women to take bold risks in their careers. “I remind them all the time you can pivot careers. You can change. You can go over here. It’s not like one or two paths that carry you forward, even though you had plans before this,” she said.
Her experiences and observations are lessons for professionals everywhere, regardless of career stage: prioritize what is most important, set boundaries, learn to say no, and take risks when they find you. These lessons, gleaned from Warren Buffett’s philosophy, continue to guide her leadership and work ethic.