Buying a copy of Leaving Microsoft to Change the World, I expected to be inspired, and I was not at all disappointed.
At the age 35, John Wood gave up his position as Microsoft’s director of business development for the Greater China region to start the non-profit organisation Room to Read. The book is a candid account of his journey from being a hotshot IT executive to a do-gooder sacrificing personal wealth to provide books to the poorest of children.
His style of writing is engaging. The book is sprinkled with anecdotes and the author is unafraid to honestly share raw moments of his humanity. But the book’s truest gem is how Wood applied business methods learned in Microsoft to a start-up NGO (non-government organisation).
Wood’s eight-year stint in Microsoft made an indelible imprint on his work ethic. He says: “If I learned one thing at Microsoft, it’s to think big.” Instead of just providing books for one school, he has since established 10,000 libraries around the world.
While Room to Read severely overhauled Wood’s lifestyle and bank account, the task at hand remained the same for him. Seeking donors was no different from a start-up software company trying to get its first customer. Wood was unafraid to “make the ask,” as Microsoft has trained him to do. In the process, he successfully secured the help of top foundations. It allowed Room to Read to grow beyond Nepal into many developing countries. Microsoft believed in hiring the best people for the job, and being loyal to their employees. Room to Read does the same.
This book was an excellent travel companion during my flight from Singapore to Manila. The pages were heavily dog-eared and marked with a highlighter. The nuggets of wisdom are plenty: proven business practices, quotes from great philosophers and saints, and real-life lessons from a passionate ex-executive deeply committed to educate the world. Definitely, the book is a reminder of our rich potential to create results, be it in Microsoft or the poorest schools of the world.
