Ballmer thows temper tantrum
mitch @ 2:11 pm on September 6, 2005
In a recent unsealing of a court document in the Microsoft vs. Google lawsuit(I mean who isn’t in a law suite against microsoft?), over the hiring of Kai-Fu Lee. In a swarn statement made by Mark Lucovsky, Ballmer is being accused of threatening employees not to leave for Google. Heres the quote:
“At that point, Mr. Ballmer picked up a chair and threw it across the room hitting a table in his office,” Lucovosky recounted, adding that Ballmer then launched into a tirade about Google CEO Eric Schmidt. “I’m going to f***ing bury that guy, I have done it before, and I will do it again. I’m going to f***ing kill Google.”
Now… I’ve never been found of Microsoft, nor have I ever been impressed by Steve Ballmer as a person with character. This, however, is not a display that should *EVER* be presented in front of employee’s… no matter who you are. I can understand the fact that hes upset…(he probably feels that way alot lately…) but to start acting like this in front of an employee that is leaving for another company. (the fact that he despises Google is beside the point) Is very unprofessional. In a statement issued by Ballmer about the incident:
“Mark Lucovsky’s account of our conversation last November is a gross exaggeration of what actually took place,” Ballmer said. “Mark’s decision to leave was disappointing and I urged him strongly to change his mind. But his characterization of that meeting is not accurate.”
Which it might be, though it might not as well. Since it is Ballmer that has the most at risk if it is true. Also notice the wording, he doesn’t specifically deny throwing the chair or having a tantrum… I’ll let you make your own conclusion however.
