Shortly after I had joined Microsoft in 1990, Bill, I, and a few others on the Windows team were flying to NY from Seattle for some customer meetings. This was shortly after the launch of Windows 3.0. Though this was almost 25 years ago, Microsoft was a public, prosperous company. Yet, company policy was that everyone flew coach. And there was Bill, sitting in coach, in a middle seat. It didn't matter to him; he spent the whole flight reading. He wasn't as universally recognized then so it wasn't such an issue for him to fly commercial.

It made a big impression on me, a new Microsoft employee, seeing Bill lead by example.