Winners Dream

“Winning Dreams”

Bill McDermott believes that to win big, you must dream big. In his leadership roles at Xerox and at SAP, he set goals that were so “audacious” they verged on the impossible. His enthusiasm charged his people with energy, and they redefined the possible.

Born in 1961, McDermott grew up in a working-class home in Amityville, on Long Island, New York. He watched his parents work hard and struggle to make ends meet. He dreamed of financial independence and providing security for his parents. At only age 11, he knew that success requires enthusiasm and execution. He analyzed the delivery territory on his paper route to craft the fastest, most efficient itinerary. He introduced himself to subscribers and asked if they wanted their newspapers at the door or in the mailbox. He invited nonsubscribers to subscribe. He sold holiday cards on his route.

He bought his first business – the Amityville Country Delicatessen – while in high school. He was a clerk there when the owner decided to sell. McDermott didn’t have the money to buy the store outright, so he persuaded the seller to finance the purchase. Lacking the cash to stock the shelves, he arranged ...