Just to play devils advocate, isn't that the whole point of a CEO? It seems to me that true change can only happen if it comes from the highest influence. Of course that's not to say that just because the CEO changes that business change will happen
Right, many CEOs don’t seem to understand their own business all that well, much less are they able to deal with the political and cultural challenges of driving a company in the right direction. So many CEOs are just filling space at the top while their company just sort of continues working under its own inertia. Nadella is one of the few who not only clearly had a meaningful vision for his company, but was able to take charge and successfully steer the ship.
Nadella understands something most CEOs don't: The core business of any business is making money. Ballmer thought Microsoft's core business was Windows, Nadella understands it's software as a whole. Ballmer thought for MS to win, Linux had to lose. Nadella understands as long as MS is selling software and services, they win. Ballmer was a great number-two for Gates, but not a leader. Not everyone has it, and that's ok.
