Microsoft CEO Reveals Business Mentoring at MBA-Business-Schools.com

(PRWeb) February 15, 2007 -- Coupling a unique ability to understand employees with MBA-learning wisdom helped Steve Ballmer climb to the top, according to the Microsoft CEO's remarks at MBA-Business-Schools.com, the online business school directory. Ballmer, a graduate school dropout, reveals to distance learning MBA students that he needed his degree-program skills even if he didn't graduate (http://www.mba-business-schools.com/articles/2007/02/mba-profile-steve-ballmer.php). Experience and company support has proven valuable to Ballmer, and mentorships have been shown to be especially useful to high-ranking business professionals.

MBA-Business-Schools.com's Amelia Gray reports that Ballmer, now worth an estimated $12.4 billion, entered Stanford's MBA program only to drop out and partner with his pal, a then-fledgling computer geek named Bill Gates. As Microsoft's first business manager, Ballmer applied his MBA skills and personal aptitude he gained through business experience and mentoring. "Our company has to be a company that enables its people," he's quoted as saying in the article, "Steve Ballmer: Billionaire. College Dropout" (http://www.mba-business-schools.com/articles/2007/02/mba-profile-steve-ballmer.php).

Ballmer is joined in leadership by other top Microsoft executives who have completed their MBA degrees, including Robbie Bach, president of the Entertainment and Devices Division; Doug Burgum, senior vice President, Microsoft Business Solutions Group; Darren Huston, president and CEO, Microsoft Co. Ltd., Japan; Mindy Mount, corporate vice president and chief financial officer; and Mike Nash, corporate vice president.

"CEOs don't really have anyone they can turn to," says pastor and entrepreneur advisor Ike Reighard in an interview with INC Magazine. Reighard describes how business professionals find themselves needing a "perspective-providing peer" to discuss balancing work with family life, growing as a CEO, and leading a good entrepreneurial life. "Sometimes they're the most well-connected people and yet the loneliest you will ever meet. It's hard to have trusting relationships when people so often want something from you."

Business mentoring has aided many MBA graduates. Tom Stemberg, founder, chairman and CEO of Staples was mentored by Harvard's Walter Salmon. Washington Post Company chairman Katharine Graham was mentored by business titan Warren Buffett. Steve Leveen, president of catalogue giant Levenger, was mentored by Neiman Marcus founder Stanley Marcus.

In addition to offering advice on selecting executive and online MBA degree programs, MBA-Business-Schools.com provides articles and mentoring tips from key business professionals along with up-to-date business book reviews (http://www.mba-business-schools.com).

MBA-Business-Schools.com is a MBA resource site that helps business professionals to boost their careers. The site offers a school search tool, tips and advice, and an MBA book review for professionals and students interested in educational and career advancement in the business field.

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