When Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer stands before a legion of financial analysts this week (July 24th), he'll likely have some questions to answer. Hopefully, none of them will revolve around the "magic of software" or "magical PCs," as they did in a speech at Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference 2008. That manic, bouncing ball-style presentation—in which Ballmer declared Microsoft a "a very successful number three in the Internet business, but with very big designs on being number one over time"—left me wondering whether Ballmer was getting too much or too little oxygen. He seemed both out of touch and alarmingly Pollyannaish about Microsoft's myriad hurdles.
This time, instead of a room full of business partners, Microsoft will face money guys who have been analyzing Microsoft's performance and stock price for decades. I expect the Q & A to be rougher, with far less applause.
If I were sitting in the audience, here are some of the questions I'd pose:
1) Is acquiring Yahoo! Microsoft's sole strategy for beating Google?
2) What would Microsoft do with Yahoo!'s assets?
3) Does Microsoft actually believe that Carl Icahn has a market strategy for a merged Micro-hoo? What would Icahn's role/influence be if he did successfully replace Yahoo!'s board, and then completed the merger/acquisition with your company?
4) If Microsoft cannot acquire Yahoo!, what's the plan for winning in search and services?
5) Most people believe you need scale for success in the contextual search and advertising game. Microsoft already has the majority of the world's desktops, so why haven't you been able to leverage that scale?
6) Apple is now the U.S.'s number three computer manufacturer. What is Microsoft's plan for stemming the tide of consumers flowing away from Microsoft's platform and to the Mac OS?
7) Consumers and businesses are increasingly swearing off Vista and planning to hold out for Windows 7. How can Microsoft help nudge people toward Vista adoption? Would a simple name change do the trick? Perhaps "Vista 7?"
8) If Microsoft can't convince consumers and business to adopt Vista, what's the plan for accelerating the release of Windows 7?
9) Where did Microsoft go wrong with Vista?
10) Microsoft has made some smart moves with the Xbox 360 platform, but most consumers still see it primarily as a gaming device. What can and will you do to encourage non-gamers to adopt it as a media extender and Internet media download device?
11) Almost two years ago, Microsoft introduced the idea of a different, IPTV-focused Xbox set-top box. Since then, we've heard little more. Where are these boxes, and will they be cheaper, smaller, and less power-hungry than current Xbox 360s?
12) Microsoft is clearly far stronger in the business market than Apple. Could it be time to cede the consumer market and focus all energies on owning the business desktop and back office? Or is there a way for Microsoft to turn consumer opinion back in its favor?
13) In what ways can or does the Software Plus Services model help Microsoft's bottom line?
14) Is it time to put the Windows code out in the open?
15) How long will you stick with the Zune?
16) Who are you grooming as a successor?
17) Imagine this same event a year from now. What successes will you be touting? And what new challenges will Microsoft be facing?
18) No one cares if Microsoft is cool anymore (and everyone accepts that it probably never will be again), but how can the company beat the coolness out of Google and Apple?
19) When will Microsoft stop following Google and start leading again?
20) Do you already miss Bill Gates?
I have little hope that these questions will find their way to Ballmer before the meeting. Even if they did, I doubt he would answer them. However, there's little doubt that Microsoft's CEO—now its most visible leader—will gamely try to answer the questions the analysts throw at him. I just hope he takes a deep breath before each retort, casts aside the rose-colored glasses, stops calling everything "magical," and openly addresses Microsoft's new reality. It's a golden opportunity for Ballmer to step out of Gates's shadow and officially move into the spotlight as a true leader
Source : Here