Global tech icon Michael Dell is not following Jeff Bezos and Sir Richard Branson into space travel. In our interview on his new book _Play Nice But Win_ the Dell Technologies CEO and chairman told Growth Faculty he has no plans to shoot for the moon nor buy a ticket to go.

But Michael Dell has 'moon-shot' goals for how he plays a part in the future of Earth. Dell Technologies priorities for the next decade include sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and addressing social problems. By 2030, Dells 'moon-shot' goals include:

- 100% **recycled packaging** and more than half of all product content made from **renewable and recycled materials.**

- 75% of electricity from **renewable sources** $100% by 2040$.

- 50% of its global workforce and 40% of global people **leaders will be women.**

- All **team members doing foundational learning** on unconscious bias, racism, harassment, microaggression, and privilege.

_Play Nice But Win_ is a rare fly-on-the-wall look inside one of the worlds leading IT companies. The title is what his parents Lorraine and Alex used to call to their sons as they ran out to play street ball with friends.

**A curious start**

The self-confessed nerd wasnt a sporty boy. At 14 years old Michael says he was more interested in pulling his Apple II computer to pieces to see how it worked $hed paid for it but his parents were furious$. By 20, hed begun PCs Limited with $1000. At 26 his re-named company Dell was in the Fortune 500 with $US546 million in sales. In 2021 Dell Technologies had annual revenues of $US94billion.

**Praise from the top**

Michael Dells reputation as a tough but nice guy has stood him in good stead. More than a dozen global business leaders put forward glowing testimonials about _Play Nice But Win_ , a more vulnerable autobiography than his less candid 1999 one _Direct from Dell_.

_Play Nice But Win_ is a story for entrepreneurs, leaders, and dreamers, says Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft.

He reminds us that courage and conviction are the key to transformative change in any organisation, writes Indra Nooyi, former chairman and CEO of PepsiCo and author of _My Life in Full_.

Founder of Bridgewater Associates and author of _Principles: Life and Work_ Ray Dalio writes Michael Dell takes you into the real world of building and transforming an empire.

Walter Isaacson, bestselling author of _The Code Breaker_ , says Dell provides a wealth of business insights but also something more important: how curiosity and good values are essential to success both in life and in business.

**Challenges of a zombie**

In _Play Nice But Win_ Michael Dell describes the challenges leading up to taking his company public, then private, then public again.

It includes in detail an ongoing battle with his nemesis Carl Icahn, an activist investor who Dell describes in the book as being like a zombie you cant kill.

Despite Icahns best efforts, Michael Dell won his fight to take his company back private in 2013. He announced to the world he now headed up The worlds biggest start-up.

**Reimagining what is possible**

Going private in 2013 gave Michael Dell back the ability to ramp up research and development.

Suddenly the shackles really were broken, he explains of no longer being watched by the stockmarket. It was about reimagining the art of the possible.

He said there was high excitement at the company, and despite some failures Dell was faster and more agile than it had ever been.

Success is not a straight line. You have to have failure to succeed, he says.

**Digital transformation in all companies**

Today Dell Technologies is poised to further capitalise on the rebound in infrastructure and PC spend, new cloud operating models driving as-a-service growth and other digital transformation initiatives.

The domain of technology is no longer in the IT department  the whole company is technology, he says. Im talking about ALL companies.

**Internet of things**

With his learning mindset Michael Dell says he finds 5G especially thrilling  from connecting people to connecting things $as in the internet-of-things IOT$.

Its not about talking on the phone faster; its about making everything in the world intelligent and connected, he says.

By 2030, he says 90% of humanity will be connected and 5G will be a digital nervous system.

It isnt just because I love technology  its because I love how technology is making the world better, he says in _Play Nice But Win_. Now, obviously, technology itself is kind of neutral. It can do good things and bad things, but as I see it, mostly there are good people who want to do good things.

Technology is like fire. It can warm us; it can light the way, he says.

**The Soul of Dell**

Dells values statement was made for in-house use in 2002 but is published in _Play Nice But Win._ Its called The Soul of Dell and goes like this:

**Customers**

_We believe in creating loyal customers by providing a superior experience at a great value._

**The Dell Team**

_We believe our continued success lies in teamwork and the opportunity each team member has to learn, develop, and grow._

**Direct relationships**

_We believe in being direct in all we do._

**Global Corporate Citizenship**

_We believe in participating responsibly in the global marketlace_.

**Winning**

_We have a passion for winning in everything we do._

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