In 2014, when Satya Nadella became Microsoft CEO, the company struggled to keep up with a rapidly changing technology sector.
He transformed the company’s culture with three words: “learn-it-all” , not “know-it-all. Nadella sought to change how employees approached learning, collaboration and innovation at the technology giant. Drawing on psychologist Carol Dweck’s research on growth mindset, he encouraged employees to embrace curiosity, acknowledge what they didn’t know, and continuously improve their skills.
The shift moved the focus away from proving existing expertise towards learning from others and adapting to change. Nadella repeatedly used the phrase and incorporated the philosophy into management evaluations, making curiosity an important part of Microsoft’s workplace culture. More than a decade later, he continues to emphasise learning as the company navigates changes driven by artificial intelligence, while maintaining that its future depends on adapting to new technologies and customer needs.
He also described a broader shift in Microsoft’s mission, from building software for specific tasks to creating tools that let people and organisations develop their own solutions.
When Nadella became CEO, Microsoft struggled to regain traction in an industry increasingly defined by cloud computing and new technology platforms. In a recent communication to employees, Nadella reiterated the importance of growth mindset as Microsoft enters another phase of technological change. He also admitted transformation can bring uncertainty, especially as teams restructure and responsibilities move around. His message came as Microsoft cut jobs even as it continued to pour money into infrastructure and artificial intelligence.