EXHIBIT 99.23



                 GENESYS TELECOMMUNICATIONS LABORATORIES, INC.
                             STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
                             ----------------------



RECITALS
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     A.   Optionee is a non-employee Board member and this Agreement is executed
pursuant to the grant to Optionee of an option to purchase shares of the
Corporation's Common Stock.

     B.   The granted option is intended to be a non-statutory option which does
                                                                               
not meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code.
- ---                                                                   

     C.   All capitalized terms in this Agreement, to the extent not otherwise
defined in the Agreement, shall have the meaning assigned to them in the
attached Appendix.

          NOW, THEREFORE, it is hereby agreed as follows:

          1.   GRANT OF OPTION.  The Corporation hereby grants to Optionee, as
               ---------------                                                
of the Grant Date, a Non-Statutory Option to purchase up to the number of Option
Shares specified in the Grant Notice.  The Option Shares shall be purchasable
from time to time during the option term specified in Paragraph 2 at the
Exercise Price.

          2.   OPTION TERM.  This option shall have a maximum term of ten (10)
               -----------                                                    
years measured from the Grant Date and shall accordingly expire at the close of
business on the Expiration Date, unless sooner terminated in accordance with
Paragraph 5, 6 or 7.

          3.   LIMITED TRANSFERABILITY.  This option may, in connection with the
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Optionee's estate plan, be assigned in whole or in part during Optionee's
lifetime to one or more members of the Optionee's immediate family or to a trust
established for the exclusive benefit of one or more such family members. The
assigned portion shall be exercisable only by the person or persons who acquire
a proprietary interest in the option pursuant to such assignment. The terms
applicable to the assigned portion shall be the same as those in effect for this
option immediately prior to such assignment and shall be set forth in such
documents issued to the assignee as the Corporation may deem appropriate. Should
the Optionee die while holding this option, then this option shall be
transferred in accordance with Optionee's will or the laws of descent and
distribution.

          4.   EXERCISABILITY/VESTING.
               ---------------------- 

               (a) This option shall be immediately exercisable for any or all
of the Option Shares, whether or not the Option Shares are vested in accordance
with the Vesting

 
Schedule set forth in the Grant Notice, and shall remain so exercisable until
the Expiration Date or the sooner termination of the option term under Paragraph
5, 6 or 7.

               (b) Optionee shall, in accordance with the Vesting Schedule set
forth in the Grant Notice, vest in the Option Shares in a series of installments
over his or her period of Board service. Vesting in the Option Shares may be
accelerated pursuant to the provisions of Paragraph 5, 6 or 7. In no event,
however, shall any additional Option Shares vest following Optionee's cessation
of service as a Board member.

          5.   CESSATION OF BOARD SERVICE.  Should Optionee's service as a Board
               --------------------------                                       
member cease while this option remains outstanding, then the option term
specified in Paragraph 2 shall terminate (and this option shall cease to be
outstanding) prior to the Expiration Date in accordance with the following
provisions:

                 (i)    Should Optionee cease to serve as a Board member for any
     reason (other than death or Permanent Disability) while holding this
     option, then the period for exercising this option shall be reduced to a
     twelve (12)-month period commencing with the date of such cessation of
     Board service, but in no event shall this option be exercisable at any time
     after the Expiration Date.  During such limited period of exercisability,
     this option may not be exercised in the aggregate for more than the number
     of Option Shares (if any) in which Optionee is vested on the date of his or
     her cessation of Board service.  Upon the earlier of (i) the expiration of
                                               -------                         
     such twelve (12)-month period or (ii) the specified Expiration Date, the
     option shall terminate and cease to be exercisable with respect to any
     vested Option Shares for which the option has not been exercised.

                 (ii)   Should Optionee cease service as a Board member by
     reason of death or Permanent Disability, then all Option Shares at the time
     subject to this option but not otherwise vested shall immediately vest in
     full so that Optionee (or the personal representative of Optionee's estate
     or the person or persons to whom the option is transferred upon Optionee's
     death) shall have the right to exercise this option for any or all of the
     Option Shares as fully-vested shares of Common Stock at any time prior to
     the earlier of (i) the expiration of the twelve (12)-month period measured
         -------
     from the date of Optionee's cessation of Board service or (ii) the
     specified Expiration Date.

                 (iii)  Upon Optionee's cessation of Board service for any
     reason other than death or Permanent Disability, this option shall
     immediately terminate and cease to be outstanding with respect to any and
     all Option Shares in which Optionee is not otherwise at that time vested in
     accordance with the normal Vesting Schedule set forth in the Grant Notice
     or the special vesting acceleration provisions of Paragraph 6 or 7 below.

                                       2.

 
          6.   CORPORATE TRANSACTION.
               --------------------- 

               (a) In the event of a Corporate Transaction, all Option Shares at
the time subject to this option but not otherwise vested shall automatically
vest so that this option shall, immediately prior to the specified effective
date for the Corporate Transaction, become fully exercisable for all of the
Option Shares at the time subject to this option and may be exercised for all or
any portion of such shares as fully-vested shares of Common Stock. Immediately
following the consummation of the Corporate Transaction, this option shall
terminate and cease to be outstanding except to the extent assumed by the
successor corporation or its parent company.

               (b) If this option is assumed in connection with a Corporate
Transaction, then this option shall be appropriately adjusted, immediately after
such Corporate Transaction, to apply to the number and class of securities which
would have been issuable to Optionee in consummation of such Corporate
Transaction had the option been exercised immediately prior to such Corporate
Transaction, and appropriate adjustments shall also be made to the Exercise
Price, provided the aggregate Exercise Price shall remain the same.
       --------                                                    

          7.   CHANGE IN CONTROL/HOSTILE TAKE-OVER.
               ----------------------------------- 

               (a) All Option Shares subject to this option at the time of a
Change in Control but not otherwise vested shall automatically vest so that this
option shall, immediately prior to the effective date of such Change in Control,
become fully exercisable for all of the Option Shares at the time subject to
this option and may be exercised for all or any portion of such shares as fully-
vested shares of Common Stock. This option shall remain exercisable for such
fully-vested Option Shares until the earliest to occur of (i) the specified
                                     --------                              
Expiration Date, (ii) the sooner termination of this option in accordance with
Paragraph 5 or 6 or (iii) the surrender of this option under Paragraph 7(b).

               (b) Optionee shall have an unconditional right (exercisable
during the thirty (30)-day period immediately following the consummation of a
Hostile Take-Over) to surrender this option to the Corporation in exchange for a
cash distribution from the Corporation in an amount equal to the excess of (i)
the Take-Over Price of the Option Shares at the time subject to the surrendered
option (whether or not those Option Shares are otherwise at the time vested)
over (ii) the aggregate Exercise Price payable for such shares. This Paragraph
7(b) limited stock appreciation right shall in all events terminate upon the
expiration or sooner termination of the option term and may not be assigned or
transferred by Optionee.

               (c) To exercise the Paragraph 7(b) limited stock appreciation
right, Optionee must, during the applicable thirty (30)-day exercise period,
provide the Corporation with written notice of the option surrender in which
there is specified the number of Option Shares as to which the option is being
surrendered. Such notice must be

                                       3.

 
accompanied by the return of Optionee's copy of this Agreement, together with
any written amendments to such Agreement.  The cash distribution shall be paid
to Optionee within five (5) days following such delivery date, and neither the
approval nor the consent of the Board shall be required in connection with such
option surrender and cash distribution.  Upon receipt of such cash distribution,
this option shall be cancelled with respect to the shares subject to the
surrendered option (or the surrendered portion), and Optionee shall cease to
have any further right to acquire those Option Shares under this Agreement.  The
option shall, however, remain outstanding for the balance of the Option Shares
(if any) in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Agreement, and the
Corporation shall accordingly issue a new stock option agreement (substantially
in the same form as this Agreement) for those remaining Option Shares.

          8.   ADJUSTMENT IN OPTION SHARES.  Should any change be made to the
               ---------------------------                                   
Common Stock by reason of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization,
combination of shares, exchange of shares or other change affecting the
outstanding Common Stock as a class without the Corporation's receipt of
consideration, appropriate adjustments shall be made to (i) the total number
and/or class of securities subject to this option and (ii) the Exercise Price in
order to reflect such change and thereby preclude a dilution or enlargement of
benefits hereunder; provided, however, that the aggregate Exercise Price shall
remain the same.

          9.   SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS.  The holder of this option shall not have any
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shareholder rights with respect to the Option Shares until such person shall
have exercised the option, paid the Exercise Price and become a holder of record
of the purchased shares.

          10.  MANNER OF EXERCISING OPTION.
               --------------------------- 

               (a) In order to exercise this option for all or any part of the
Option Shares for which the option is at the time exercisable, Optionee or, in
the case of exercise after Optionee's death, Optionee's executor, administrator,
heir or legatee, as the case may be, must take the following actions:

                  (i)    To the extent the option is exercised for vested Option
     Shares, the Secretary of the Corporation shall be provided with written
     notice of the option exercise (the "Exercise Notice") in substantially the
     form of Exhibit I attached hereto, in which there is specified the number
     of vested Option Shares to be purchased under the exercised option.  To the
     extent that the option is exercised for one or more unvested Option Shares,
     Optionee (or other person exercising the option) shall deliver to the
     Secretary of the Corporation a Purchase Agreement for those unvested Option
     Shares.

                  (ii)   The Exercise Price for the purchased shares shall be
     paid in cash or check made payable to the Corporation's order.   Should the
     Common Stock be registered under Section 12(g) of the 1934 Act

                                       4.

 
     at the time the option is exercised, then the Exercise Price may also be
     paid as follows:

                    -  in shares of Common Stock held by Optionee (or any other
          person or persons exercising the option) for the requisite period
          necessary to avoid a charge to the Corporation's earnings for
          financial reporting purposes and valued at Fair Market Value on the
          Exercise Date; or

                    -  to the extent the option is exercised for vested Option
          Shares, through a special sale and remittance procedure pursuant to
          which Optionee shall provide irrevocable written instructions (A) to a
          Corporation-designated brokerage firm to effect the immediate sale of
          the vested shares purchased under the option and remit to the
          Corporation, out of the sale proceeds available on the settlement
          date, sufficient funds to cover the aggregate Exercise Price payable
          for those shares plus the applicable Federal, state and local income
          taxes required to be withheld by the Corporation by reason of such
          exercise and (B) to the Corporation to deliver the certificates for
          the purchased shares directly to such brokerage firm in order to
          complete the sale.

                  (iii)  Appropriate documentation evidencing the right to
     exercise this option shall be furnished the Corporation if the person or
     persons exercising the option is other than Optionee.

                  (iv)   Appropriate arrangement must be made with the
     Corporation for the satisfaction of all Federal, state and local income tax
     withholding requirements applicable to the option exercise.

               (b) Except to the extent the sale and remittance procedure
specified above is utilized in connection with the exercise of the option for
vested Option Shares, payment of the Exercise Price for the purchased shares
must accompany the Exercise Notice or Purchase Agreement delivered to the
Corporation in connection with the option exercise.

               (c) As soon as practical after the Exercise Date, the Corporation
shall issue to or on behalf of Optionee (or any other person or persons
exercising this option) a certificate or certificates representing the purchased
Option Shares.  To the extent any such Option Shares are unvested, the
certificates for those Option Shares shall be endorsed with an appropriate
legend evidencing the Corporation's repurchase rights and may be held in escrow
with the Corporation until such shares vest.

                (d) In no event may this option be exercised for fractional
shares.

                                       5.

 
          11.  REPURCHASE RIGHTS.  ALL OPTION SHARES ACQUIRED UPON THE EXERCISE
               -----------------                                               
OF THIS OPTION SHALL BE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN RIGHTS OF THE CORPORATION AND ITS
ASSIGNS TO REPURCHASE THOSE SHARES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS SPECIFIED IN THE
PURCHASE AGREEMENT.

          12.  NO IMPAIRMENT OF RIGHTS.  This Agreement shall not in any way
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affect the right of the Corporation to adjust, reclassify, reorganize or
otherwise make changes in its capital or business structure or to merge,
consolidate, dissolve, liquidate or sell or transfer all or any part of its
business or assets.  Nor shall this Agreement in any way be construed or
interpreted so as to affect adversely or otherwise impair the right of the
Corporation or the shareholders to remove Optionee from the Board at any time in
accordance with the provisions of applicable law.

          13.  COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND REGULATIONS.
               ------------------------------------ 

               (a) The exercise of this option and the issuance of the Option
Shares upon such exercise shall be subject to compliance by the Corporation and
Optionee with all applicable requirements of law relating thereto and with all
applicable regulations of any stock exchange (or the Nasdaq National Market, if
applicable) on which the Common Stock may be listed for trading at the time of
such exercise and issuance.

               (b) The inability of the Corporation to obtain approval from any
regulatory body having authority deemed by the Corporation to be necessary to
the lawful issuance and sale of any Common Stock pursuant to this option shall
relieve the Corporation of any liability with respect to the non-issuance or
sale of the Common Stock as to which such approval shall not have been obtained.
However, the Corporation shall use its best efforts to obtain all such
applicable approvals.

          14.  SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.  Except to the extent otherwise provided
               ----------------------                                          
in Paragraph 3 or 6, the provisions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit
of, and be binding upon, the Corporation and its successors and assigns and
Optionee, Optionee's assigns and the legal representatives, heirs and legatees
of Optionee's estate.

          15.  GOVERNING LAW.   The interpretation, performance, and enforcement
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of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of California
without resort to that State's conflict-of-laws rules.

          16.  NOTICES.  Any notice required to be given or delivered to the
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Corporation under the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing and addressed
to the Corporation at its principal corporate offices.  Any notice required to
be given or delivered to Optionee shall be in writing and addressed to Optionee
at the address indicated below Optionee's signature line on the Grant Notice.
All notices shall be deemed effective upon personal delivery or upon deposit in
the U.S. mail, postage prepaid and properly addressed to the party to be
notified.

                                       6.

 
                                   EXHIBIT I

                              NOTICE OF EXERCISE
                                        

          I hereby notify Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Inc. (the
"Corporation") that I elect to purchase __________ shares of the Corporation's
Common Stock (the "Purchased Shares") at the option exercise price of
$___________ per share (the "Exercise Price") pursuant to that certain option
(the "Option") granted to me on February 28, 1997.

          Concurrently with the delivery of this Exercise Notice to the
Secretary of the Corporation, I shall hereby pay to the Corporation the Exercise
Price for the Purchased Shares in accordance with the provisions of my agreement
with the Corporation evidencing the Option and shall deliver whatever additional
documents may be required by such agreement as a condition for exercise.
Alternatively, I may utilize the special broker/dealer sale and remittance
procedure specified in my agreement to effect payment of the Exercise Price for
any Purchased Shares in which I am vested at the time of exercise.


______________________, 199__
Date


                                      __________________________________________
                                      Optionee

                                      Address:__________________________________

                                      __________________________________________

                                      __________________________________________


Print name in exact manner
it is to appear on the
stock certificate:                    __________________________________________

Address to which certificate
is to be sent, if different
from address above:                   __________________________________________

                                      __________________________________________

Social Security Number:               __________________________________________

 
                                   APPENDIX
                                   --------


     The following definitions shall be in effect under the Agreement:

     A.   AGREEMENT shall mean this Stock Option Agreement.
          ---------                                        

     B.   BOARD shall mean the Corporation's Board of Directors.
          -----                                                 

     C.   CHANGE IN CONTROL shall mean a change in ownership or control of the
          -----------------                                                   
Corporation effected through either of the following transactions:

          (i)   the acquisition, directly or indirectly, by any person or
     related group of persons (other than the Corporation or a person that
     directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common
     control with, the Corporation) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning
     of Rule 13d-3 of the 1934 Act) of securities possessing more than fifty
     percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Corporation's
     outstanding securities pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made directly
     to the Corporation's shareholders which the Board does not recommend such
     shareholders to accept, or

          (ii)  a change in the composition of the Board over a period of 
     thirty-six (36) consecutive months or less such that a majority of the
     Board members ceases, by reason of one or more contested elections for
     Board membership, to be comprised of individuals who either (A) have been
     Board members continuously since the beginning of such period or (B) have
     been elected or nominated for election as Board members during such period
     by at least a majority of the Board members described in clause (A) who
     were still in office at the time the Board approved such election or
     nomination.

     D.   COMMON STOCK shall mean the Corporation's common stock.
          ------------                                           

     E.   CORPORATE TRANSACTION shall mean either of the following shareholder-
          ---------------------                                               
approved transactions to which the Corporation is a party:

          (i)   a merger or consolidation in which securities possessing more
     than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the
     Corporation's outstanding securities are transferred to a person or persons
     different from the persons holding those securities immediately prior to
     such transaction, or

                                     A-1.

 
          (ii)  the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially
     all of the Corporation's assets in complete liquidation or dissolution of
     the Corporation.

     F.   CORPORATION shall mean Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Inc.,
          -----------                                                          
a Delaware corporation.

     G.   EXERCISE DATE shall mean the date on which the option shall have been
          -------------                                                        
exercised in accordance with Paragraph 10 of the Agreement.

     H.   EXERCISE PRICE shall mean the exercise price payable per share as
          --------------                                                   
specified in the Grant Notice.

     I.   EXPIRATION DATE shall mean the date on which the option term expires
          ---------------                                                     
as specified in the Grant Notice.

     J.   FAIR MARKET VALUE per share of Common Stock on any relevant date shall
          -----------------                                                     
be determined in accordance with the following provisions:

          (i)   If the Common Stock is at the time traded on the Nasdaq National
     Market, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling price per
     share of Common Stock on the date in question, as the price is reported by
     the National Association of Securities Dealers on the Nasdaq National
     Market or any successor system.  If there is no closing selling price for
     the Common Stock on the date in question, then the Fair Market Value shall
     be the closing selling price on the last preceding date for which such
     quotation exists.

          (ii)  If the Common Stock is at the time listed on any Stock Exchange,
     then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling price per share of
     Common Stock on the date in question on the Stock Exchange determined by
     the Board to be the primary market for the Common Stock, as such price is
     officially quoted in the composite tape of transactions on such exchange.
     If there is no closing selling price for the Common Stock on the date in
     question, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling price on
     the last preceding date for which such quotation exists.

          (iii) If the Common Stock is at the time neither listed on any Stock
     Exchange nor traded on the Nasdaq National Market, then the Fair Market
     Value shall be determined by the Board after taking into account such
     factors as the Board shall deem appropriate.

     K.   GRANT DATE shall mean the date of grant of the option as specified in
          ----------                                                           
the Grant Notice.

                                     A-2.

 
     L.   GRANT NOTICE shall mean the Notice of Grant of Stock Option
          ------------                                               
accompanying this Agreement, pursuant to which Optionee has been informed of the
basic terms of the option evidenced hereby.

     M.   HOSTILE TAKE-OVER shall mean the acquisition, directly or indirectly,
          -----------------                                                    
by any person or related group of persons (other than the Corporation or a
person that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under
common control with, the Corporation) of beneficial ownership (within the
meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the 1934 Act) of securities possessing more than fifty
percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Corporation's
outstanding securities pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made directly to
the Corporation's shareholders which the Board does not recommend such
shareholders to accept.

     N.   1934 ACT shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
          --------                                                            

     O.   NON-STATUTORY OPTION shall mean an option not intended to satisfy the
          --------------------                                                 
requirements of Code Section 422.

     P.   OPTION SHARES shall mean the number of shares of Common Stock subject
          -------------                                                        
to the option.

     Q.   OPTIONEE shall mean the person to whom the option is granted as
          --------                                                       
specified in the Grant Notice.

     R.   PERMANENT DISABILITY shall mean the inability of Optionee to perform
          --------------------                                                
his or her usual duties as a Board member by reason of any medically
determinable physical or mental impairment which is expected to result in death
or has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of twelve (12)
months or more.

     S.   PURCHASE AGREEMENT shall mean the stock purchase agreement (in form
          ------------------                                                 
and substance satisfactory to the Corporation) which must be executed at the
time the option is exercised for unvested Option Shares and which will
accordingly (i) grant the Corporation the right to repurchase, at the Exercise
Price, any and all of those Option Shares in which Optionee is not otherwise
vested at the time of his or her cessation of service as a Board member and (ii)
preclude the sale, transfer or other disposition of any of the Option Shares
purchased under such agreement while those Option Shares remain subject to the
repurchase right.  In addition, to the extent the option is exercised prior to
the date on which the Common Stock is registered under Section 12(g) of the 1934
Act, the Purchase Agreement will record the Corporation's right of first refusal
with respect to the purchased shares.

     T.   STOCK EXCHANGE shall mean the American Stock Exchange or the New York
          --------------                                                       
Stock Exchange.

                                     A-3.

 
     U.   TAKE-OVER PRICE shall mean the greater of (i) the Fair Market Value
          ---------------                -------                             
per share of Common Stock on the date the option is surrendered to the
Corporation in connection with a Hostile Take-Over or (ii) the highest reported
price per share of Common Stock paid by the tender offeror in effecting the
Hostile Take-Over.

     V.   VESTING SCHEDULE shall mean the vesting schedule specified in the
          ----------------                                                 
Grant Notice, pursuant to which Optionee will vest in the Option Shares in one
or more installments over his or her period of Board service, subject to
acceleration in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement.

                                     A-4.