This advice, she said, has shaped the way she approaches work and leadership. Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, was a trustee and major donor to the Gates Foundation from 2006 to 2021, contributing over $36 billion. His support extended beyond finances, as Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman noted: he also gave “the gift of time and advice.”
The Power of Saying No
French Gates highlighted how Buffett’s guidance helped her establish firm boundaries. Without clear limits, she warned, professionals can quickly become overwhelmed with additional responsibilities, favours from colleagues, and unnecessary distractions.
“If you know it’s a no right away, don’t linger on it, just say no. The clarity helps you and it helps them,” she said.
Buffett himself has echoed this principle. He once stated, “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say ‘no’ to almost everything.” This quote, famously cited in James Clear’s book Atomic Habits, underscores the significance of focus and discipline in professional life.
A Life-Changing Decision: Leaving IBM for Microsoft
Before her philanthropy work, French Gates made a bold career move that shaped her trajectory. As a young professional, she was offered a stable position at IBM. However, her hiring manager surprised her with unexpected advice: consider joining a tiny startup called Microsoft instead.“My hiring manager at IBM, a female, said to me, ‘Okay, are you ready to accept the job offer?’ And I said, ‘Well, I have one more company to go interview—this little company, Microsoft. It was tiny.’ She said, ‘If they give you an offer, you should take it.’ And it dumbfounded me. Here’s this woman who’s supposed to be my manager, giving me a piece of career advice,” Gates recalled in an interview shared by Fortune.The decision was not easy. Moving to Seattle meant uprooting her life. “I didn’t know anybody in Seattle. It was moving to the West Coast, but I was so excited about what they were doing. I was like, ‘I want to be part of that,’” she said.
That leap of faith paid off. She spent nine years at Microsoft, eventually becoming General Manager of Information Products. Today, Microsoft is valued at $3.1 trillion, and French Gates is among the ten richest women in the US, with a net worth of $15.2 billion.
Encouraging Women to Take Risks
Beyond her own experiences, French Gates is a vocal advocate for women in leadership. She believes systemic changes are necessary to achieve gender equality and encourages women to embrace career shifts.
“I remind them all the time you can pivot careers. You can change. You can go over here. It’s not like one or two paths that carry you forward, even though you had plans before this,” she said.
Her reflections offer valuable lessons for professionals at all stages—prioritise what matters, learn to say no, and don’t be afraid to take risks. These principles, influenced by Buffett’s wisdom, continue to shape her approach to work and leadership.
