Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates says he considers himself a more relaxed boss than many tech industry executives. On Thursday, local time, after being awarded the Peter Peterson Award for Excellence in Leadership by the Economic Club of New York, Gates named Elon Musk and Steve Jobs during a fireside chat. The host asked Gates what he learned about creating a culture of innovation during his time at the helm of Microsoft.
Gates said leaders like him must consider how "hardcore" they should be when leading innovative companies.
"Everyone is different. Elon tried hard, maybe too much," Gates said, referring to Musk. "Steve Jobs tried hard, maybe too much."
"Compared to these guys, I feel pretty good," Gates said with a laugh.
But Gates acknowledged during Thursday's discussion that it takes "a certain intensity" to be a successful innovation leader.
"In my 20s, I was obsessed with Microsoft," he said. "I didn't believe in weekends or holidays."
The host asked Gates to confirm an urban legend that has been circulating in recent years: that he memorized the license plate numbers of all employees in Microsoft's early days so he could know who was working long hours.
"Not that many license plates. We only have a few hundred employees," Gates replied, seemingly confirming the story.
"I can still tell you when they come in and when they leave," he added.
Gates ties his passion to his "positive experiences" at Microsoft, which he says still guide his thinking today.
“I look at every problem from an innovation perspective,” he said.