Goodbye Microsoft

After 18 years I've made the decision to leave Microsoft. More to come on what's next in a few weeks.

Microsoft has been an amazing place to work. I've learned more than I ever thought possible. And changed in so many ways. Most of what I want to say about my experience I wrote in my goodbye email. So I will include that here.

And add that in addition to all of the amazing people I got a chance to work with inside the company I was also lucky to meet and work with so many incredible customers, partners, and yes, even competitors. Some of the most enjoyable work I did at Microsoft was part of founding schema.org. Where we were able to bring together Microsoft, Google, Yahoo, Yandex, Facebook, and many others to build a cross-industry coalition to help structure the web.

From: Steve Macbeth <Steve.Macbeth@microsoft.com> Subject: Goodbye.

I will try to keep this short. What I want to share and all of the people I want to thank would take thousands and thousands of words. And having been receiving these emails for nearly thirty years I know that no one wants that.

I came to Microsoft for the opportunity to be on the cutting edge of the technology industry, but I stayed for the people. Nearly all of the most meaningful relationships in my life were created here. There is no way to express the gratitude that I have for those people and those relationships. For what they’ve done for me. What they’ve taught me. What their friendship has meant to me.

I’ve worked in many roles, on many teams, and on many products. I’ve had 18 managers. And worked in 16 buildings across three countries. I’m about six months shy of reaching my twenty-year anniversary. But as I reflect back on those years, those products, those buildings, the details start to blur. But what becomes more and more clear is how impactful the people have been. How incredibly grateful I am for having met all of you and had this chance to work together. And how much hope I have that this isn’t the end of the book, just the end of a chapter.

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”

– Winnie the Pooh

 I never could have imagined how this journey would end. Nor the person I would become. From that first interview. From those first discussions. From that first realization that this place was different. These people were different. This was the place I was meant to be.

 Gallup has a poll that they’ve been using to understand company culture and morale for nearly 30 years. One of the questions is “Do you have a best friend at work?”. I’ve been so incredibly lucky to have been able to say Yes. Being able to answer yes to this question allowed me to show up as my most authentic self at work and I hope I was able to bring that to a few of you as well.

 I will treasure the time I spent here and all of the people that I met and worked with. But most of all I will treasure the relationships that moved beyond work colleagues and turned into friendships. The deepest friendships in my life have come from this company. I’ve grown in ways I never would have predicted. I have come closer to the person I want to be. Thanks in large part to this small group of amazing, life-changing friends. Thank you.

 I wish you all the best in whatever you choose in your life. And I hope you can find the courage to always show up as your most authentic self. You’re amazing! And the world needs you just the way you are.