In a recently translated letter from Dr. Kai-Fu Lee to family and friends, Lee confessed that his move from Microsoft to Google was a matter of following his heart, trading a company he saw as limiting to his contribution to the world for a company that embodies youth and freedom.
The letter, highlighted and translated from a Chinese website posting by Dan Farber of ZDNet, is an impassioned explanation of his flight from Microsoft.
“Microsoft is an outstanding company, and there are many things we can learn from it. But Google is a company that makes me feel a shock. The reason Google gives me a shock is the passion for creating a new generation of technology. I found treasures in Google everywhere. The technology and products are way beyond just the search,” Lee wrote.
Farber has interpreted this to be a criticism of Microsoft’s strong foothold in the establishment, making the software giant older and slower in its approach to technology. Google is “unburdened by the past and hidden agendas,” according to Farber, which is why Google was so attractive.
Lee went so far as to provide a formula to support his choice.
youth + freedom + transparency + new model + the general public’s benefit + belief in trust = The Miracle of Google
Lee’s “Miracle of Google” led him to the center of a legal battle as his defection to the suddenly explosive search company, and his appointment to President of Google China, became a thorn in Microsoft’s side. Microsoft sued Google claiming Lee was in violation of a non-compete agreement he signed promising not to take on similar positions for direct competitors.
Google fired back, claiming Lee’s work at Microsoft was in speech technology and not in search.
Recent recoveries from Dr. Lee’s Recycle Bin on his Microsoft computer have revealed that Google anticipated litigation from Microsoft but was prepared to place Lee on one year’s paid leave until the legal proceedings had ended.
From Dr. Lee’s position in his letter, his motives were beyond monetary, as he believed a move to Google would benefit his native soil, China, while allowing him to follow his heart.
“No matter how difficult, if you don’t follow your heart and insist on principles, how can suggest other people to do it. Therefore I made a very important choice. I have the right to make my choice. I choose Google, I choose China. I want to do influential things. In China, I can help the youth more and do more influential things. I want to make the best of my own efforts, and in Google I can learn the new creativity model and make myself better,” he wrote.
