Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella made an excellent impression last week, but at Build he’ll need greater than rhetoric to reconcile new cross-platform tactics with Windows’ future.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s tenure got off to an auspicious start last week when he introduced native Office apps for the iPad. But with the Microsoft Build conference for developers kicking off this week, Nadella could have time neither to savor his victory nor to ease into the subsequent challenge.

Ironically, Nadella faces pressure since the iPad apps had been so well received. Despite being in any case two years overdue, the goods represent a brand new tablet productivity standard. But additionally they represent a possible death blow to the single advantage Windows tablets had over iPad: running Microsoft Office. The iPad Office apps also indicate an accelerating shift far from Windows because the center of Microsoft’s strategy, even — as Windows XP’s remarkable longevity attests — many businesses remain reliant on older tools and infrastructure. Nadella’s star might fade at Build if he can’t reconcile new cross-platform tactics with a coherent Windows OS and device strategy.

But here’s an awesome point to keep in mind: The explanations Nadella impressed such a lot of people had almost nothing to do with the Office apps’ quality. Yes, as CEO, Nadella will have further delayed them, perpetuating Steve Ballmer’s mostly unsuccessful try to prop up Windows tablets. But even supposing Nadella gave the go-ahead, he claims little ownership over the completed products; a number of the development would have necessarily occurred before he was even in contention for the head job.

[What is going to Microsoft reveal this week concerning the way forward for Windows? Read Microsoft Build: 8 Things to observe.]

So, if Nadella gets only partial credit for the apps, why is he earning such strong notices? Rhetoric.

Under Ballmer, Microsoft execs sometimes spoke as though they couldn’t hear customer concerns, and as if Windows still held a similar sway it did within the 90s. Ballmer himself sometimes exemplified this perspective. His passion for all things Microsoft was commendable, nonetheless it also earned him a name for bombast and blind partisanship. When the corporate released Windows 8.1 ultimately year’s Build, Ballmer didn’t confront rampant criticism up to argue the OS had to be “refined,” and that bad sentiment was as a result of an early dearth of touch-equipped hardware in place of flaws with the OS itself.

Nadella, alternatively, expertly beat would-be critics to the punch, bookending the Office for iPad event by acknowledging that buyers are unsure of the company’s strategy and promising that everything becomes clearer inside the following few weeks. His attitude seemed proactive instead of evasive. He even allowed himself to be mobbed by reporters after the click conference.

This kind of ad hoc Q&A doesn’t generally happen — however the press conference didn’t start conventionally, either. CEOs often are introduced respectfully by a peer, and infrequently by spotlights, glossy videos, and a booming voice emanating from loudspeakers. Nadella, compared, just form of walked to front of the room and commenced talking. One second the click conference hadn’t started, after which suddenly, with almost no pretense, it had.

Nadella’s accessibility wasn’t all that stood out. It was also how and when he asserted his own voice. On one hand, at a high level, much of what Nadella said about Microsoft’s strategy echoed remarks Ballmer or even Bill Gates have made. All have referred to machine learning and personalized experiences that translate across devices via the cloud, for instance. Only Nadella has discussed these concepts so enthusiastically for non-Windows products. However, Nadella emphatically rejected the notion that cross-platform opportunities, resembling Office for iPad, represent a compromise for Microsoft. Ballmer’s strategies appeared driven by fears of compromise.

Nadella also sprinkled in references to pervasive sensors, ubiquitous computing, and new form factors, hinting at future projects involving wearable devices and the net of factors. He additionally quoted poetry, cracked math jokes, and waved off an issue about concern from Wall Street investors. But predominant, Nadella insisted that if Microsoft empowers users within the ways they want to be empowered, it’ll succeed, a sentiment that could give pause to the various Windows 8.1 users who still need a Start menu.

Rhetoric must in the future turn to action, needless to say, and Office for iPad is purely a small start, especially given Nadella’s minor authorship within the project. But Nadella seems to grasp this. Before anyone could mention the continued struggles of Windows 8.1 or the skin line, Nadella reassured attendees that Windows remains a key component of the company’s agenda, and that it’s far engaged on substantial device upgrades.

It was a bold statement: When Nadella offered the peace of mind, he knew he’d should justify it intimately not up to per week later, at Build. Folks that rely upon seductive language, instead of realistic ideas, generally don’t invite such quick scrutiny. In brief, Nadella showed he can talk the controversy as CEO. At Build, we’ll see if, as Nadella’s confident words suggest, he can walk the walk besides.

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Michael Endler joined InformationWeek as an associate editor in 2012. He previously worked in talent representation within the entertainment industry, as a contract copywriter and photojournalist, and as a teacher. Michael earned a BA in English from Stanford University in 2005 … View Full Bio

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