John Miles
👤 PersonAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
So it meant that if I were going to go out on a training run with them, it was really difficult trying to keep up. I stuck with it. And the more I stuck with it, the more I started learning that not only were they working out there, but they were also doing things outside of practice, such as trying to get good sleep, trying to eat well, and were really so supportive of each other.
So it meant that if I were going to go out on a training run with them, it was really difficult trying to keep up. I stuck with it. And the more I stuck with it, the more I started learning that not only were they working out there, but they were also doing things outside of practice, such as trying to get good sleep, trying to eat well, and were really so supportive of each other.
So they were trying to make Hmm. I had a huge issue at first where I was psyching myself out so much before races to the point that I would get physically sick. And I started to approach practice as if it was a race. And it completely changed. The way I've lived my life up until this day, because if you start treating every day as if it's a game day, you don't have that anxiety anymore.
So they were trying to make Hmm. I had a huge issue at first where I was psyching myself out so much before races to the point that I would get physically sick. And I started to approach practice as if it was a race. And it completely changed. The way I've lived my life up until this day, because if you start treating every day as if it's a game day, you don't have that anxiety anymore.
So those things were kind of a foundation that when I went to the Naval Academy, I was so glad I had.
So those things were kind of a foundation that when I went to the Naval Academy, I was so glad I had.
Well, I started out at Booz Allen and then Anderson Consulting. So I got to work in a lot of large companies, ExxonMobil, Halliburton, companies of that size. But I was also, by the time I got to Anderson, I started practice focused on high growth mid-market companies. So I was also working on WebMD in the very early days and other startups like that mid-sized companies.
Well, I started out at Booz Allen and then Anderson Consulting. So I got to work in a lot of large companies, ExxonMobil, Halliburton, companies of that size. But I was also, by the time I got to Anderson, I started practice focused on high growth mid-market companies. So I was also working on WebMD in the very early days and other startups like that mid-sized companies.
So I was lucky enough that I had experience doing both. I started a company called Lendlease, headquartered out of Australia. And when I started with them, they had about a $15 billion revenue. They were part financial institution. They own the second largest bank in Australia. They had a whole portfolio of mutual funds.
So I was lucky enough that I had experience doing both. I started a company called Lendlease, headquartered out of Australia. And when I started with them, they had about a $15 billion revenue. They were part financial institution. They own the second largest bank in Australia. They had a whole portfolio of mutual funds.
They also had a real estate investment trust area that fueled the other side of their business, which was property management and construction. And then from there, I went to Lowe's, where I initially was brought in to fix what had preceded me as the largest hacking incident in retail history.
They also had a real estate investment trust area that fueled the other side of their business, which was property management and construction. And then from there, I went to Lowe's, where I initially was brought in to fix what had preceded me as the largest hacking incident in retail history.
and went on from that to lead all application development and then eventually all big data and integration for them. And then that led me to becoming a CIO at Dell.
and went on from that to lead all application development and then eventually all big data and integration for them. And then that led me to becoming a CIO at Dell.
So I'll take us all back to 2011. I was in the process of leaving Dell because so much of our business model was wed to Microsoft. I had met Steve Ballmer a number of times, who's the former CEO of Microsoft. And When Steve heard I was leaving, he asked me to come to Microsoft to become the CIO. And as any of these things are, it's not as easy a process as Steve says.
So I'll take us all back to 2011. I was in the process of leaving Dell because so much of our business model was wed to Microsoft. I had met Steve Ballmer a number of times, who's the former CEO of Microsoft. And When Steve heard I was leaving, he asked me to come to Microsoft to become the CIO. And as any of these things are, it's not as easy a process as Steve says.
He wants you in this position, and it just happens. So for me, this amounted into something like 16 to 20 interviews that I had to go through. And what I found was that Microsoft at that time had a very fixed mindset. And they really couldn't see how to do things a different way.
He wants you in this position, and it just happens. So for me, this amounted into something like 16 to 20 interviews that I had to go through. And what I found was that Microsoft at that time had a very fixed mindset. And they really couldn't see how to do things a different way.
And on top of that, Balmer had this leadership style where he used his size, he's a large man, his large voice and his intimidation to get things done. So that's how the rank and file were treating many of the employees underneath them was really an era of intimidation to get things done. And I met this man who had been there for...
And on top of that, Balmer had this leadership style where he used his size, he's a large man, his large voice and his intimidation to get things done. So that's how the rank and file were treating many of the employees underneath them was really an era of intimidation to get things done. And I met this man who had been there for...