Faster than a Windows Vista PC. More powerful than a gadget teardown. Our new slideshow takes apart Microsoft's boisterous leader Steve Ballmer to see the man behind the "developers, developers, developers" meme. Steve Ballmer TeardownTech geeks love to know everything about a gadget, from the casing to the hard drive to processor. Here at CIO.com, we are applying this technique to tech’s head honchos, such as Larry Ellison and Steve Jobs. For this teardown slideshow, it’s Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s turn. MemoryConsidering there’s a great deal to keep track of at the behemoth Microsoft, Ballmer has a pretty good memory. But he has used selective memory from time to time on subjects like Linux and Vista. And he was notoriously critical of Apple’s iPod and iPhone products, only to release similar Microsoft products later. Battery LifeBallmer’s got energy and enthusiasm, that’s for sure. He’s a rah-rah kind of guy, but with Microsoft’s complicated product versions, some critics wonder if that energy comes at the expense of focus. And if you’ve ever seen the Developers! Developers! Developers! video clip you know that Ballmer’s energy can sometimes, shall we say, get away from him. Value (Net Worth)$13.1 billion. That could buy a few Starbucks Grande Ice Coffees, or a few Starbucks stores. Special FeaturesHis bald head and animated speaking style have become his trademarks. His passion for Microsoft is always on display (“I LOOOVE THIS COMPANY!”) and he’s not afraid to lavish praise on revenue generators Windows and Office. But these days, he’s beating the big drum for cloud computing. Microsoft is “All In” for the cloud in case you haven’t heard. SpeedAlthough Microsoft has accomplished a great deal since Ballmer became CEO in 2000 (Xbox, Bing, Windows 7), it is not regarded as a fast-moving company, to put it mildly. Ballmer and company have been caught sleeping at the wheel by more nimble and innovative companies like Google and Apple in areas including search, mobile, media players and tablet PCs. Communication MechanismWhile not as confrontational as Ellison or as condescending as Jobs, Ballmer has been known to smack talk the competition. The trouble is, Microsoft’s marketing messages can get muddled fairly quickly. What is Windows Live again? DisplayBallmer’s countenance can range from intense to silly to just plain weird. But his outward vision for Microsoft has often been stubbornly old school. That’s dangerous in an industry innovating at lightning speed, analysts say. How much longer can Microsoft rely on its cash cows Windows and Office? DriveBallmer is resilient and driven to succeed. Stumbles in his tenure aside, he runs a global company of 90,000 employees, an epic task, and he’s been doing it admirably for a decade. Console/ExteriorBallmer is a born salesman, happy to glad-hand his way across the globe and speak to whoever will listen about Microsoft. His wardrobe is either a modest suit and tie or sweater and slacks. Larry Ellison he is not when it comes to style, but Ballmer can still work a room. Related content news CIO Announces the CIO 100 UK and shares Industry Recognition Awards in flagship evening celebrations By Romy Tuin Sep 28, 2023 4 mins CIO 100 IDG Events Events feature 12 ‘best practices’ IT should avoid at all costs From telling everyone they’re your customer to establishing SLAs, to stamping out ‘shadow IT,’ these ‘industry best practices’ are sure to sink your chances of IT success. By Bob Lewis Sep 28, 2023 9 mins CIO IT Strategy Careers interview Qualcomm’s Cisco Sanchez on structuring IT for business growth The SVP and CIO takes a business model first approach to establishing an IT strategy capable of fueling Qualcomm’s ambitious growth agenda. By Dan Roberts Sep 28, 2023 13 mins IT Strategy IT Leadership feature Gen AI success starts with an effective pilot strategy To harness the promise of generative AI, IT leaders must develop processes for identifying use cases, educate employees, and get the tech (safely) into their hands. By Bob Violino Sep 27, 2023 10 mins Generative AI Innovation Emerging Technology Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe