[GUEST ACCESS MODE: Data is scrambled or limited to provide examples. Make requests using your API key to unlock full data. Check https://lunarcrush.ai/auth for authentication information.]  Benzinga [@Benzinga](/creator/twitter/Benzinga) on x 305.7K followers Created: 2025-07-12 23:59:52 UTC In the early days of Microsoft, Bill Gates wasn’t just intense — he was obsessed. In a BBC interview, Gates admitted he memorized the license plates of his employees so he could track when they arrived and left. “I was quite fanatical about work,” he said. That fanaticism shaped Microsoft’s early culture. It wasn't just self-discipline — it was surveillance-level leadership. Gates rarely took weekends off and expected the same from his team. Co-founder Paul Allen recalled Gates pacing the parking lot on weekends to see who showed up. It created a high-stress environment where even 80-hour weeks weren’t enough. One employee, after logging XX hours in four days, told Gates he was taking a day off. Gates genuinely couldn’t understand why. But over time, Gates changed. In a 2023 commencement speech, he reflected on how becoming a father forced him to rethink his all-in approach. “That intensity was not always appropriate,” he admitted. What started as a parking lot obsession turned into one of the most successful companies on the planet. And Gates’s evolution is a reminder that even the most demanding leaders can learn to let go — and that balance might matter just as much as drive.  XXXXX engagements  **Related Topics** [bbc](/topic/bbc) [bill gates](/topic/bill-gates) [microsoft](/topic/microsoft) [stocks technology](/topic/stocks-technology) [Post Link](https://x.com/Benzinga/status/1944184967061176533)
[GUEST ACCESS MODE: Data is scrambled or limited to provide examples. Make requests using your API key to unlock full data. Check https://lunarcrush.ai/auth for authentication information.]
Benzinga @Benzinga on x 305.7K followers
Created: 2025-07-12 23:59:52 UTC
In the early days of Microsoft, Bill Gates wasn’t just intense — he was obsessed. In a BBC interview, Gates admitted he memorized the license plates of his employees so he could track when they arrived and left. “I was quite fanatical about work,” he said.
That fanaticism shaped Microsoft’s early culture. It wasn't just self-discipline — it was surveillance-level leadership. Gates rarely took weekends off and expected the same from his team.
Co-founder Paul Allen recalled Gates pacing the parking lot on weekends to see who showed up. It created a high-stress environment where even 80-hour weeks weren’t enough.
One employee, after logging XX hours in four days, told Gates he was taking a day off. Gates genuinely couldn’t understand why.
But over time, Gates changed. In a 2023 commencement speech, he reflected on how becoming a father forced him to rethink his all-in approach. “That intensity was not always appropriate,” he admitted.
What started as a parking lot obsession turned into one of the most successful companies on the planet. And Gates’s evolution is a reminder that even the most demanding leaders can learn to let go — and that balance might matter just as much as drive.
XXXXX engagements
Related Topics bbc bill gates microsoft stocks technology