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Bill & Melinda Gates Case Study

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Bill & Melinda Gates Case Study
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is a foundation that supports other organizations who share its guiding belief that every life has equal value. Located in Seattle, Washington, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have an asset trust endowment of 36.2 billion dollars as of September 30, 2012. It supports grantees in all 50 states and 100 countries internationally in areas of global development, global health, United States program, and a smaller charitable support initiative sector. Bill Gates, Melinda Gates, and Warren Buffett give direction to CEO Jeff Raikes and co-chairmen William H. Gates Sr. regarding grant allocation and investments. (Gates Foundation) After reading the Gates Foundation website and the wealth information on those involved in the foundation, I have determined the Big Five Leadership traits that I see in Bill and Melinda Gates. Bill Gates has a strong dimension of surgency because of his dominance within the foundation, he approves grant making strategies and sets the direction of the foundation. As a strong advocate for the foundation Bill Gates demonstrates his extraversion and high energy excitement for the work they do. Melinda Gates presents a strong dimension of openness to experience. Melinda believes in empowering women in impoverish countries and demonstrates flexibility when dealing the challenges she faces in countries where women do not often have a strong foothold in the community. Together Bill and Melinda Gates share a dimension of agreeableness because of their sensitivity to issues across the world and their desire to seek out and create relationships with grantees who share their beliefs. Bill and Melinda Gates have several traits of effective leadership. They have a high need for affiliation and socialized power. McClelland identified power as neither good or bad and his research supports the idea that they would seek out socialization with like-minded individuals and seek to lead them. Bill and Melinda Gates pioneer


Cited: Gates Foundation. N.p., 2012. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. .

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