Melinda Gates, the co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the wife of Bill Gates, recently shared the best advice she has received from her mother on the corporate social media platform, LinkedIn.
Melinda’s mother had given her one of the most precious pieces of advice only parents pass on to their children. She had told her, “If you don't set your own agenda, someone else will.”
The advice is evidently very close to Melinda as she said that she has been carrying the piece of advice from her mother in her heart ever since. She further said that she initially took her advice literally. She focused on her work with her mother’s words in the back of her head and became “a big goal-setter, ticking off my achievements one by one.”
Later, as time passed by, Melina realized the true meaning of her mother’s advice while navigating through her career and life.
Melinda said, “her advice has helped me remember to stay true to myself as I've navigated the unexpected throughout my career and my life.”
Melinda, who is also the wife of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, started working at Microsoft Corporation in 1987 as the product manager. Her job profile primarily had her developing multimedia and interactive products. Over nine years, Melinda managed to climb up the corporate ladder and became the general manager of information products.
Melinda married Bill Gates in 1994 after dating each other for six years.
