Motivational Strategies of Microsoft Essay Example

Motivational Strategies of Microsoft Paper Introduction Microsoft has become one of the giants in the high tech field. Microsoft has become a household word which started in January of 1975 when Bill Gates, a sophomore at Harvard, starting writing software to enhance the use of personal computers. The company has grown from its humble beginnings to the software giant the company has now become. Microsoft uses employee empowerment, the company’s ability to foster teamwork, and creative incentives and rewards to motivate the company’s employees to be productive. Employee Empowerment Microsoft is a company well known for its innovation in software and technology. However, Microsoft is also a company that has remarkable innovation in regard to employee empowerment. Microsoft realizes that without its employees they are nothing and to keep these employees within the company, thinking up new ideas and creating revenue they need to feel empowered. Not only empowered but also a sense of trust in their management. Microsoft values their employees so much that they entrust recruitment of new employees to current employees. The mantra â€Å"Spread the Love,† which speaks to employees spreading the word about Microsoft, as well as the recruiting organization giving back to our employees to enable and recognize their ambassadorship† (McLeish, J. 2008). This speaks highly of both Microsoft employees and management. This statement, made by a Microsoft executive, lets it be known that they have an abundance of confidence in their employees so much so that they lo ok to them to recruit future employees. That is empowerment at its finest. We will write a custom essay sample on Motivational Strategies of Microsoft specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Motivational Strategies of Microsoft specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Motivational Strategies of Microsoft specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Letting ones employees know that they trust them to bring the best of the best to the company and shape the future of the company is a big responsibility and Microsoft does this willingly. The preceding example is only one way in which Microsoft empowers their employees. Microsoft knows that an empowered employee means an employee who is well taken care of and knows his or her value to the company. Microsoft takes this philosophy to the extreme with tremendous benefits and options for its employees. Microsoft has outstanding stock options for its employees. Nothing empowers employees more than owning part of what they are working for. This makes employees feel like they are not just putting forth all their energy for some top executives but themselves as well because they own part of the company. This also motivates them to work harder and be loyal to the company. Microsoft allows employees to buy from 1% to 15% of the employee’s after-tax salary to purchase Microsoft stock at a 10% discounted rate (Microsoft official webpage). Microsoft offers many other financial benefits to its employees however; the preceding example is the most relevant to employee empowerment. The company also offers an extensive medical package to its employees. Microsoft offers a web page to its employees so they may see all their current and past medical information. This web page puts the employees in real control of what is going on with their healthcare and expenses. The web page also offers a link to refill prescriptions. This is an important factor in employee empowerment because it let’s employees feel more secure about their and their families’ healthcare, which helps to empower them at work and in their daily life. In conjunction with this Microsoft also offers an employee 24-hour health help line and an employee assistance program, which offers counseling to its employees. Lastly, Microsoft offers excellent benefits for those employees with families or those who want to start a family. The company offers paid maternity leave, parental leave for fathers. Microsoft also offers dependent care flexible spending account, adoption assistance, childcare discounts, family care backup, and resource referral services. All these programs help employees believe that no matter the circumstance their company has a program or service to help them take care of their family and personal needs and this instills a real sense of empowerment. Not only do employees need to feel a real sense of empowerment from excellent benefit packages but also from trusting their management. Microsoft does this by providing every opportunity to all employees. The message that Microsoft sends to its employees is that they can trust that everything will be handled is the best way that they know how. Just reading all the options and benefits that are available to employees it becomes easy for one to see that Microsofts management cares about its employees. In a statement Microsoft states how important to them as a company that their employees are happy and well taken care of, this instills trust within the mployees to know they are cared for. â€Å"Microsoft benefits are generous and personalized, to give our employees the coverage they need to keep them healthy and happy (Microsoft official webpage). † It would be hard for an employee to not trust an employer who does care so much about their happiness not just at work but also at home. Microsoft knows that in order for employees to be successful at work they need to be more than just happy with their job, but rathe r with their lives and Microsoft helps their employees achieve that. Microsoft’s ability to foster teamwork Not only does the motivational strategy that is used by Microsoft put an emphasis on the empowerment of it’s employees, Microsoft has also found success with motivating employees by encouraging and implementing teamwork. A key ingredient to the continued success of Microsoft has been in the company’s ability to foster teamwork. Microsoft’s motivational strategy of fostering teamwork among its employees has produced a workplace that values the employee and recognizes the employee’s competency level and reliability. As stated in an article written by Steve McConnell, â€Å"Motivating yourself and other employees is part of the Microsoft corporate culture. Microsoft doesn’t have an explicit practice of asking team members to commit or â€Å"sign up† for a project, but it isn’t uncommon for an employee who expresses doubt about meeting a deadline to be asked whether he or she is signed up. Microsoft avoids the problem of phony-sounding management motivational speeches because as often as not, the question doesn’t come from a manager; it comes from the person who will have to do the work if the person in question doesn’t do it. (McConnell, 1996) Microsoft has strategically designed the workplace that makes every employee an important asset to the team process. Through the encouragement of teamwork Microsoft is able to influence the morale and motivational level of the employee by recognizing the skills, reliability, and level of competency each employee contribut es to the team concept. Unlike other companies that demand the presence of management with everything that goes on within the workplace, management at Microsoft recognizes the ability and competency of the employee and more often than not will allow the employee to make critical or key decisions. The recognition of the employee’s ability also provides the employee with an opportunity to learn and grow, two ingredients critical for morale and employee satisfaction. Employees at Microsoft also understand that the company trusts in the ability of the employee to perform. This trust between the company and the employee obligates the employee to perform at the highest level possible. The company of Microsoft also understands that as technology continues to advance the companies hugest asset, the employee, will help propel the company into the future to remain competitive and successful. As stated on the Microsoft home page, â€Å"At Microsoft, we’re motivated and inspired everyday by how our customers use of software to find creative solutions to business problems, develop break through ideas, and stay connected to what’s important to them. We are committed long term to the mission of helping our customers realize their full potential. Just as we constantly update and improve our products, we want to continually evolve our company to be in the best position to accelerate new technologies as they emerge and to better serve our customers. (Microsoft, 2008) By allowing the team to explore new ideas and improve the components on existing products the company is able to indirectly inspire the employee through creativity and vision. The company of Microsoft also will motivate the team member through accountability and reliability. Microsoft prides itself on the reliability of its product and similar to the company’s product dependability the company also stresses the importance of the reliability of its employee. This teamwork concept motivates the employee to contribute to the team process and suggest new ideas. Microsoft also understands that by encouraging teamwork within the workplace and among employees has a direct affect on morale and motivation as employee have a tendency to motivate one another to perform. Employees are motivated to perform understanding that in order for Microsoft to be profitable and successful every team member must put forth the maximum effort and contribute to the overall team process. As stated in an article by Charles Duncan, â€Å"Teamwork is often overlooked but is something which must be given a high priority and to which attention must be paid. Every member must understand the importance of working together in a unified and coherent manner if the effort is to be successful. Each member of the team must be dedicated to the whole, be willing to act in an unselfish manner, and committed to the success of the project. When challenges arise, as they most certainly always do, the team must have the resources, accountability, and commitment to deal with the issues in a constructive and positive manner. This philosophy of team work is essential and will play an integral role in the success of the project. (Duncan, 2007) Microsoft has been successful in recognizing the important role that each member plays to the team concept and shows the employee that the skills, ability, and level of performance that is brought to the workplace, on a daily basis, is critical to the efficiency and productivity of the company. Unbeknownst to the employee this concept of team benefits the company in several ways. Not only is the team concept cost ef fective for the company, Microsoft also uses this team concept as a motivational strategy to inspire and drive employees to perform at the highest level possible. Creativity with rewards and incentives Microsoft has a large amount of benefits and rewards for employees to keep them motivated and retain the brightest of the high tech industry. â€Å"The company has long touted its benefits package as the best in the high-tech industry, and most of the items on the long list ranging from the 401(k) matching program to full medical coverage to free health-club membership remain unchanged despite the latest adjustments. † (Bishop, 2004). The type of Extrinsic Motivation used at Microsoft keeps employees motivated. The benefits are different from rewards because every employee is given the benefits just for working at Microsoft. The benefits are to attach and retain a large pool of talented workers to the high tech company. Microsoft does not use just monetary rewards as a standard reward for hard work. They expand on every opportunity to go above and beyond to keep the employees motivated. â€Å"Money isnt the only way to motivate employees to work harder or smarter. Perhaps youve got a young parent working for you who could benefit from flexible hours or the opportunity to work from home one day a week. Maybe your salesperson has just put in a lot of long days to make a big deal happen and would prefer extra time off to a bonus. When you show youre willing to be flexible to meet your employees needs youll likely discover your employees will reward you† (Motivate Your Employees to Help You Succeed). Microsoft uses different extrinsic rewards based on the situation. The different needs of an employee can be used to motivate an employee on a case by case basis. The benefits Microsoft gives employees like flexible hours, paid healthcare, and free sodas have to be managed wisely. Microsoft has in the last few years slowed in revenue growth thus forcing Microsoft to cutback on the benefits employees receive. â€Å"Microsoft Corp. renowned for its industry-leading employee benefits, plans to scale back in some areas as part of a broader effort to cut costs and improve its profit margin even as revenue growth slows. Dont worry, the soft drinks in the break rooms are still free. But the company yesterday said it will reduce the discount employees receive when they buy Microsoft stock, shrink the window in whic h they can take their four weeks of paid parental leave, require a co-payment when they choose brand-name prescription drugs over approved generic equivalents and trim the vacation time received by new hires† (Bishop, 2004). The motivation of the decrease in benefits could work in two ways. The positive effect would the employees could cut cost as they can to increase operating cash flow or the employees become more productive. The negative affects can be employees leaving the company for a different job or the employees could become resentful toward the company. Conclusion In conclusion, Microsoft has different ways to motivate employees. Microsoft uses employee empowerment, the company’s ability to foster teamwork, and creative incentives and rewards to motivate the company’s employees to be productive. With the motivation factors listed, Microsoft has become one of the top high tech companies in the world today. â€Å"Bringing together the right information with the right people will dramatically improve a companys ability to develop and act on strategic business opportunities† (Gates). The right motivation given to the right people will improve a company too. Microsoft has found the motivation to keep some of the brightest employees in the high tech field though the use of extrinsic and intrinsic motivations. References Bishop, T. (2004, May 20). Microsoft Trims Benefits to Cut Costs. Retrieved April 26, 2008, from Seattlepi. com Web site: http://seattlepi. nwsource. com/business/174131_msftbenefit20. html Duncan, C. (2007, September 26). The Concept of Team in the Work Place. Retrieved April 27, 2008, from http://www. associatedcontent. com Gates, B. (n. d. ). Employee Quotations.. Retrieved April 28, 2008, from AfterQuotes Web site: http://www. afterquotes. com/great/quotes/employee. htm McConnell, S. (1996, September/October). Microsoft: A Highly Motivated Environment. Retrieved April 27, 2008, from http://stevemcconnell. com McLeish, J. (2008). Microsoft Leverages Engaged Employees to â€Å"Spread the Word†. Retrieved April 26, 2008, from, www. employeefactor. com. Microsoft (2008). Microsofts Business. Retrieved April 27, 2008, from http://www. microsoft. com Motivate Your Employees to Help You Succeed. (n. d. ). Retrieved April 26, 2008, from Microsoft Web site: http://www. microsoft. com/australia/smallbusiness/themes/build-your-business/motivate-your-employees-to-help-you-succeed. mspx

Definitions of How to Open a Research Paper

Definitions of How to Open a Research Paper If you're sure the outcome and conclusion are related to your subject of inquiry, then you ought to read the methods section and dive into the way the results were actually found. Once you are finished reading, it's an ideal time to get started defining your interests. You've got to choose a topic in which you have good understanding, and you'll be able to set your extra input. Make certain there is continuity in your topics and stick to the outline closely to prevent corrections. The How to Open a Research Paper Stories The lengthy paragraph at the beginning of the paper should offer you three important bits of information. If it has been useful to you the final thing to do is to talk about it with someone else. You are able to then focus your attention on the particular sections of the paper that can help you get what you would like out of it. One of the very first actions in writing a prosperous term paper is extensive resear ch. Usually you simply pay the price of the paper copy. It isn't important to have a complete comprehension of the conclusion section on the very first pass of it, but nevertheless, it should make it possible for you to find a feeling of how relevant the paper is to what you want to learn. Other individuals prefer the usage of staples. For instance, you might have a note card that concerns wasps. To begin with, almost all of the text is in 1 section, 4.3. Therefore, such statement should not be exceedingly large or general, because it defines the essential route for the paper. In a brief paper, a thesis statement should be found at the close of the intro paragraph. Much like a thesis statement, a purpose statement can be found at the close of the intro paragraph, or may choose the type of another paragraph in massive papers, including dissertations etc.. While reading, make certain that you are also taking notes, making certain you indicate the source. The notion is so simple I couldn't believe my ears once I heard about it for the very first moment. Every time you work with an object of research, have a minute to consider if it would fit into a subsequent segment. A great conversationalist knows that asking closed-ended questions isn't any way to produce real pals. You ought to make sure the information on your research paper is organized, in order for your readers won't have any trouble reading. When you submit your paper, be certain to keep a safe copy. When you receive a research paper writing assignment, it is rather common to search for a research paper writing company which will help you develop your research papers. Writing a research paper even though may appear challenging is a considerable portion of normal student life. Nevertheless, the trick to a thriving research paper is organization. Organizing the procedure for writing a research paper isn't as easy as it might seem it is not merely about reading some sources and transform whatever you've learned into a complete essay. Every student acquainted with writing research papers knows that there are lots of restrictions that are applicable to the sources used. However you're feeling about writing research papers, there's always something you may learn how to produce the process more efficient. There's well-known that you won't have the ability to write a fantastic insightful research paper if you're not interested in the subject overall and in this issue particularly. Make the usage of the suggested research paper topic ideas and you'll be prosperous. When you currently have a research paper topic, you will be ready to study it more profoundly. When selecting your research paper topic, you have to make certain it is neither boring nor worn out. The Fundamentals of How to Open a Research Paper Revealed First off, you have to select your topic wisely. You ought to be certain to understand everything clearly once you select an essay topic. Some researches discuss an overall topic while some are handling something specific. The very best topic is the one which is fastest and simplest to write about. Check with your professor when you have any questions. The thesis forges the way for the remainder of the short article and tells the reader precisely what the research is about. The background of the study is the secret to introduce your audience to your research topic and ought to be accomplished with string wisdom and thoughtful writing. The entire research should be constructed around or from this issue.

Diversity in Dissertation Paper Topics

Diversity in Dissertation Paper TopicsIf you are currently writing a dissertation for your graduate studies, you might find that your dissertation topic is too dissimilar from the research that you have already done. Since your dissertation is to be as unique as possible, you might want to consider something new, something that will make you stand out in a crowd of other doctoral candidates.The best way to generate an unusual topic for your thesis is to start writing your dissertation around your research. You should consider the research that you already have done and think about ways that your dissertation can be built around that research. Start your dissertation from the beginning: where did you begin, what questions did you ask, and how did you find the answers?When you think about it, you'll quickly realize that there are so many different topics that you can choose from. Some people prefer to choose a theme and then follow their research from there. Others will pick one topic and work towards that one specific theme.So how do you find a thesis topic that you can use for your dissertation? You will need to be creative and look for ways to make your topic unique. Here are a few ideas for diverse research paper topics that you might consider:Biological issues: This can be used in two ways. It can be used to build upon previous work or as a standalone topic. Since so much biology is tied up in genetics, the topic can be a good choice if you already know a lot about genetics and are interested in changing things up a bit.Environmental issues: This can be used as an independent topic. You can choose to write about the negative effects of global warming or you can decide to tackle climate change in general. Either way, your topic can be an effective stand-alone topic because you will be able to focus on the environment in which you study.Medical issues: This can be used to tie into previous medical research. You might want to write about research concerning psy chological and psychiatric issues, cancer research, or perhaps even addiction. A separate topic might be needed to tie in with your current research if you are choosing to write about these areas separately.White supremacist: If you have already written about white supremacy in the past, consider changing it up this time around. One idea would be to write about how white supremacists have used science to push an agenda, or how the scientific community has ignored white supremacists. Whatever you choose, your topic can be a great opportunity to create a unique dissertation topic.

Essay Writing in Nursing: Helping Students to Write Better Essays

Essay Writing in Nursing: Helping Students to Write Better EssaysThe most important element in essay writing in nursing is to get the information across in the least amount of words possible. In order to get the reader's attention and retain it, you must avoid giving away the whole story in your essay. Make sure that you relate to a particular aspect of the problem with some facts, and then discuss why the facts support your conclusions.Some people confuse essay writing in nursing with personal essay writing. Personal essay writing takes a lot more thought than essay writing in nursing. The purpose of essay writing in nursing is to present the student's idea in the best possible way to get accepted into the program. It's all about getting the students' attention, and getting it in the simplest and most eloquent manner possible.Essay writing in nursing requires a great deal of research and reading. Students should be willing to spend time reading and re-reading anything that they writ e. They should have an understanding of the things that they are reviewing because this will provide them with the knowledge they need to use properly.Topics that need to be covered in nursing are very important and unique. They can change from year to year as well. This makes it essential for the students to prepare themselves and to prepare topics for each year.Topics can be easy ones or hard ones, but they all need to be covered. Students should know what is going on in the health care industry, and how important their career choice will be in the future. A variety of different subjects can be used, but the main focus of the essay should always be on what the student wants to say.Essay writing in nursing can seem very difficult at first, but the ability to be organized and to write an effective essay is one that any student can develop over time. It can be daunting to think about all of the topics that need to be covered. But, with practice, you will find that you have it down.By making sure that the essays are written well, the students are less likely to repeat the questions that they were asked on the application. When a student gives the wrong answer on an essay, they will always remember the wrong answer, and this can get them in trouble with the admissions committee. Therefore, it is critical that you proofread your essays before you submit them to the school, and it is also crucial that you proofread them for the school.You should take special care when you are creating your essay. One way that you can do this is to use an editor. This way, you can edit your essay before you send it off for editing.

College Application Essay Heads

College Application Essay HeadsHow do you write an essay for a college application? College students are usually required to write essays that will be used to apply for financial aid and various other things. It's very important that the student knows how to write an essay. With college admission looming ever closer, the pressure on the student will only be increasing.The first step in writing an essay is to research it. Determine what the essay is going to cover. This could include a variety of topics like career goals, life goals, or just general issues. It is important to come up with an outline before beginning.Start by gathering all of your information. Determine if the student is taking a history course, a foreign language class, or any type of college class. Also determine if the student has a part-time job. Some types of classes require completion before a student is allowed to graduate. There are many other things that a student must have completed if they are applying for f inancial aid.Students usually submit an essay to a college application after taking a certain amount of time to complete the entire application. Before writing an essay for a college application, it is very important to establish the proper style of writing. Every college application needs some form of essay, even if it's just a survey. So, a student should know how to write an essay before they begin.The students that do not like to write essays usually use a research based writing style for their college application. They will research information about the person they are applying to as well as the college they want to attend. Most college applicants will have a detailed resume attached to the college application. They are very aware of what they need to do to give the right impression to colleges and financial aid institutions.A more effective approach to write an essay for a college application is to search the internet for ideas. Most college admissions offices will use online essays as well. Many schools also ask that the essay is typed. Some colleges will even allow the student to write the essay from scratch. In either case, the student must be familiar with the topic that they are writing about.The most important step in writing an essay for a college application is researching the topic. Once this is done, the student can then begin to brainstorm and write the essay as needed.

Leadership Behavior Research Paper Example

Leadership Behavior Research Paper Example Leadership Behavior Paper Leadership Behavior Paper The leadership style and behavior of Larry Ellison are as follow: Behavioral Approach: Larry Ellison behavior with its employees and subordinates are as follow; Ohio State Leadership Studies: 1 . Initiating structure: According to this study Larry Ellison shows behavior of Initiating structure because he always wants best talent and productivity. He wants to compete with Microsoft and required 100 % results from his employees. 2. Consideration: He shows little consideration toward it employees but when a project was successfully completed by his employees, he gave a high party to his employees on their achievement. Michigan Leadership studies: According to this theory Larry Ellison exhibits following behavior; 1 . Task-oriented Behavior: Larry Ellison is more task-oriented toward his employees than relations-oriented. He needs perfect work and sometime he became abused toward his employees, friends and foes when company decreases its productivity. 2. Relations-oriented behavior: Larry Ellison is little bit supportive and relation- oriented. But mostly he hired his own friends in the company so that he can easily work with them in a friendly environment. A Three-Dimensional Model: According to this model Larry Ellison show more Task-oriented, little Relations- Oriented and Change-oriented Behavior. Change-oriented behavior is that he always go for quickly adopting opportunities and theft the ideas of competitors and quickly transform his processes. Participation: Larry Ellison is Autocratic Leader. He transformed himself into a driven, disciplined warrior a self-styled New Age samurai, when his sales force sell future licenses to employees and failed to deliver them. Delegation: He gets back all authorities from its employees and become harsh leader when his ales force sell future licenses to employees and failed to deliver them. He delegates power only to his friend whom he hired in his company. Empowerment: Larry Ellison does not believe in empowering employees. He said if company wants to motivate employees it is needed to bring new human capital management tools rather than empowered employees. He said human capital is precious asset of company. Other theories and Behaviors Achievement-oriented Behavior: Mr Ellison focused on achievements, he always wants best results. Supportive: Mr Ellison always wanted things to be done the way he felt they should be done and mimed to always know how to respond and what action to take in almost every business-related decision. So even when a problem arose he always seem to know the proper action to take, demonstrating almost flawlessly situational theory. Situational Theory: The situational theory also plays a major role in Larry success. Situational theory is a leadership theory in which those in charge choose to adjust their leadership style to match a particular situation. Mr Ellison had a strong will that enabled his company to adapt quickly to the shifting markets demand and sudden competitive threats kicker than more structured organizations. After taking a big loss in the sasss, Oracle had to come up with some new changes and ideas. Mr Ellison approached this problem by creating a team of software specialist to come up with new projects. Leadership Member Exchange Theory their position through a series of exchange agreements with their members. Robert Miner and Edward Dates were a part of the In group of the organization, because they were two of the men who were closest to Mr Ellison. The book expresses Mr Ellison characteristics as of a cheerleader; by the way he builds an energetic environment that keeps employees on the Job until the products are completed. After the success of the projects, the inner groups are invited to very elegant, very expensive parties the other members, who werent as close to Mr Ellison, were all considered to be a part of the Out group. Power 1 . Legitimate Power: Larry Ellison is CEO of company so he has formal authority over work activities. 2. Reward Power: Larry only rewarded the brightest and most talented people of his organization. This sparked a strong competitive spirit within his organization. 3. Expert Power: Larry Ellison has full technical expertise in software development. 4. Information Power: Larry Ellison has complete information about its company and competitors. He is only weak in handling financial information of company. Influence Process: Instrumental Compliance: Larry Ellison influences his employees by giving direct rewards or punishment for required action. Outcome of Power and Influence Process: Power and Influence process of Larry Ellison is results in compliance in which he influenced the target persons behavior not their attitude. Larry was a charismatic, and has the ability to draw others to them. Transactional leadership: Transactional leadership focuses on the foundational management process of controlling, organizing, and short-term planning. This theory of leadership involves motivation, reward and punishment as the primary means of getting the follower to obey those in charge. Mr Ellison focused on objectives, roles of the organization and the performance of the employees on a daily basis. Mr Ellison was an authority compliant leader, who felt that the best way to be effective was to be directive to his employees, showing them exactly what he wanted. He also kept an open door policy f employees needed help on difficult projects to ensure that the products that they produced had little to no bugs in its systems. Conclusion: It is concluded that Larry Ellison is a man of mix characteristics he is both task- oriented and people-oriented. He sometimes used power of his money for his friends. He likes successful people including Bill Gates. He is an autocratic, transactional and charismatic leader. Outcomes of his behavior, power and influences include more compliance with little personalization.

Biography of Mary Read, English Pirate

Biography of Mary Read, English Pirate Mary Read (1685–buried April 28, 1721) was an English pirate who sailed with Calico Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny. Though little is known for certain about her former life, she was well-known as a pirate from 1718 to 1720. After being captured, she was spared hanging because she was pregnant but died shortly after due to an illness. Fast Facts: Mary Read Known For: One of the most famous female pirates of all time, Read sailed with Calico Jack Rackham during the early 1700s.Also Known As: Mark ReadBorn: 1685 in EnglandDied: 1721 (buried April 28, 1721) in Port Royal, Jamaica Early Life Most of the limited information about Mary Reads life comes from Captain Charles Johnson (believed by many, but not all, pirate historians to be a pseudonym for Daniel Defoe, the author of Robinson Crusoe). Johnson was descriptive, but never mentioned his sources, so most of Reads alleged background is in doubt. Read was supposedly born sometime around 1690 to the widow of a sea captain. Mary’s mother dressed her up as a boy to pass her off as her older brother, who had died, to get money out of Mary’s paternal grandmother. Mary found she liked dressing as a boy, and as a young â€Å"man† she found work as a soldier and sailor. Marriage Read was fighting for the British in Holland when she met and fell in love with a Flemish soldier. She revealed her secret to him and they married. For a time, they operated an inn called The Three Horseshoes not far from the castle at the town of Breda in the Netherlands. After her husband died, Read could not operate the inn alone, so she went back to war, dressing once again as a man. Peace was soon signed, however, and she was out of work. Read took a ship to the West Indies in hopes of finding new opportunities. Joining the Pirates While en route to the West Indies, Read’s ship was attacked and she was captured by pirates. Read decided to join them and for a while, she lived the life of a pirate in the Caribbean before accepting the king’s pardon in 1718. Like many former pirates, she signed on board a privateer commissioned to hunt down those buccaneers who had not accepted the pardon. The mission didn’t last long, however, as the whole crew soon mutinied and took over the ship. By 1720, she had found her way on board the pirate ship of â€Å"Calico Jack† Rackham. Anne Bonny Calico Jack already had a woman on board: his lover Anne Bonny, who had left her husband for a life of piracy. According to legend, Bonny developed an attraction to Mary, not knowing that she was a woman. When Bonny tried to seduce her, Read revealed herself. According to some accounts, they became lovers anyway, with Rackham’s blessing (or participation). In any event, Bonny and Read were two of Rackham’s most bloodthirsty pirates, each carrying- according to one report- a machete and a pistol. Read was a good fighter. According to legend, she developed an attraction to a man who had been forced to join the pirate crew. The object of her affection managed to irritate a certain cutthroat on board, who challenged him to a duel. Read, fearing that her would-be lover might get killed, challenged the brute to a duel of her own, scheduling it a couple of hours before the other duel was supposed to take place. She promptly killed the pirate, in the process saving the object of her affection. Capture and Trial By late 1720, Rackham and his crew were well known as dangerous pirates, and bounty hunters were sent out to capture or kill them. Captain Jonathan Barnet cornered Rackhams ship in late October 1720. According to some accounts, Bonny and Read fought valiantly while the men hid below deck. Rackham and the other male pirates were quickly tried and hanged in Port Royal, Jamaica, on November 18, 1720. Bonny and Read declared at their trial that they were pregnant, which was soon determined to be true. They would be spared the gallows until they had given birth. Death Mary Read never got to taste freedom again. She developed a fever and died in prison not long after her trial, probably sometime in early April 1721. Records from St. Catherine Parish in Jamaica show that Read was buried on April 28, 1721. Legacy Most of the information about Read comes from Captain Johnson, who most likely embellished at least some of it. It is impossible to say how much of what is commonly known about Read is true. It is certainly true that a woman by that name served with Rackham, and evidence is strong that both women on his ship were able, skilled pirates who were every bit as tough and ruthless as their male counterparts. As a pirate, Read didnt leave much of a mark. Rackham is famous for having female pirates on board (and for having an impressive pirate flag), but he was strictly a small-time operator, never getting close to the levels of infamy of someone like Blackbeard or the success of someone like Edward Low or Black Bart Roberts. Nevertheless, Read and Bonny have captured the public imagination as being the only two well-documented female pirates in the so-called Golden Age of Piracy. In an age and society where the freedom of women was greatly restricted, Read and Bonny lived a life at sea as full members of a pirate crew. As subsequent generations increasingly romanticize piracy and the likes of Rackham, Bonny, and Read, their stature has grown even further. Sources Cordingly, David. Under the Black Flag:  The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks, 1996.Defoe, Daniel. A General History of the Pyrates. Mineola: Dover Publications, 1972/1999.Johnson, Charles, and Margarette Lincoln. A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates. The Folio Society, 2018.Konstam, Angus. The World Atlas of Pirates. Guilford: The Lyons Press, 2009.Woodard, Colin. The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down. Mariner Books, 2008.