Microsoft outage highlights trend among CEOs who shun email
A widespread disruption to Microsoft 365 services on Thursday impacted users globally, hindering access to email and Teams. Microsoft attributed the issue to overloaded infrastructure and unresponsive servers, with updates posted on X indicating the problem persisted into Friday. “We regret that today’s outages caused disruptions for our customers, and we are working to address the issue,” stated Microsoft executive Charles Lamanna on X. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The outage sparked reactions ranging from humorous suggestions of a day off for employees to frustrated calls for a swift resolution. However, the incident also underscored a growing trend among some of the world’s most successful business leaders: a deliberate avoidance of email.
Several CEOs have previously shared with Business Insider their preference for alternative communication methods. Kevin O’Leary, known from “Shark Tank,” explained that he abandoned email due to the overwhelming volume of messages he received daily, ranging from 2,000 to 4,000. He now relies on messaging apps.
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky considers email to be an “inferior” form of communication, stating he rarely initiates emails and prefers texts, calls, or in-person conversations. Similarly, John Paul DeJoria, cofounder of John Paul Mitchell Systems and Patrón Tequila, doesn’t even own a computer and communicates through his assistant or handwritten letters.
Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck favors direct phone calls, stating he prefers to understand people better through conversation. Canva CEO Melanie Perkins limits her email use to protect her personal time, keeping email and Slack off her phone and relying on emergency calls or pages when unavailable.
Source
“The Microsoft outage is disrupting email. These business leaders barely use it anyway.”
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