The Moment That Made This Microsoft EVP Rethink Everything

From Microsoft executive to mentor of founders, Rich Kaplan breaks down leadership under fire, influence without authority, and how to navigate chaos without losing your values.Rich Kaplan is a former Executive Vice President at Microsoft who led teams through some of the company's most transformative periods — and then had a near-death experience that completely changed how he thinks about leadership, people, and what actually matters.In this short clip from the Four Fs Podcast, Rich breaks down what it actually looks like to lead through chaos, how he built influence at the highest levels of Microsoft, and why the best leaders prioritize people over performance metrics.This is a 10-minute highlight from our full conversation. To hear the complete episode, search "Four Fs Podcast" on Spotify or visit fourfspodcast.com.If you're enjoying these daily clips, follow Four Fs Podcast: 10-Minute Wins so you don't miss tomorrow's episode.——Four Fs Podcast: 10-Minute Wins delivers a daily short clip from in-depth conversations with founders, veterans, executives, and world-class experts you won't hear on every other show — on leadership, entrepreneurship, failure, and personal reinvention.Full episodes available on the Four Fs Podcast feed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.Chapters: 0:00 — Intro: Rich Kaplan's Microsoft legacy0:30 — What leading through chaos actually looks like2:30 — Building influence at the EVP level4:30 — Lessons from navigating high-stakes moments at Microsoft7:00 — Why people matter more than performance metrics9:00 — How a near-death experience changed everything10:30 — Where to find the full episode