Nvidia is now one of the three most valuable companies in the world. With the rise of A.I. they are expected to be the largest soon. They cannot even keep up with the orders they now have, and are telling customers, like Dell, Meta and Microsoft, that some orders cannot be fulfilled well into 2025. But this is a good problem to have.
Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, a powerhouse in the computer chip industry valued at over $3.1 trillion, has a leadership style deeply influenced by his early job experiences. Starting as a busboy at Denny’s during his teenage years, Huang’s modest beginnings continue to shape his approach to business leadership today. Despite achieving a personal net worth nearing $108 billion, he maintains a grounded perspective on work, emphasizing that no job is too small or beneath him.
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang. I don’t do one on ones. I communicate to everyone in my company at the same time most times. pic.twitter.com/jrkM6vowiv
— MmiriEnweIlo (@Mmiri_Enwe_Ilo) July 7, 2024
Huang’s journey from cleaning tables and toilets at Denny’s to conceptualizing Nvidia at the same restaurant highlights a formative period in his life. He often shares these experiences to illustrate his work ethic, famously recounting to students at the Stanford Graduate School of Business how he cleaned more toilets than they could imagine, some of which were unforgettable.
As the head of Nvidia, Huang operates under the belief that a willingness to engage in any task, regardless of its level of simplicity, is crucial if it aids in improving the company. This approach stems from his belief that effective leadership involves directly contributing to one’s team’s efforts and being actively involved in problem-solving, rather than delegating tasks.
NVIDIA $NVDA CEO Jensen Huang on What Students Should Study In School Now pic.twitter.com/CGdusnMJRk
— Jesse Cohen (@JesseCohenInv) July 6, 2024
Huang is known for his hands-on management style, often described by employees as demanding and perfectionist. He engages with his team by requesting updates on their top five tasks and frequently provides direct feedback by discussing their projects in person. This method not only allows him to guide his employees but also gives him a chance to offer solutions and share his thought processes, which he finds rewarding and educational.
His approach extends to his management structure, where he prefers maintaining around fifty direct reports, as opposed to the more common practice among CEOs of limiting direct reports to streamline management. Huang believes this helps keep the flow of information and strategy more direct and efficient within Nvidia, enhancing the company’s performance.
1. “How hard can it be?”
Nvidia is the biggest company on Earth — and this question launched it.
“There’s a power in ignorance; in not knowing hard something is” — Jensen Huang
This mindset reflects a naive optimism.
But it tricks yourself to:
→ get going
→ keep going pic.twitter.com/c33biua6jW— Weiting (@weitingliu) July 6, 2024
At public speaking events, such as a commencement at the California Institute of Technology, Huang emphasizes the importance of being accessible and having time to address the needs of his team throughout the day. His philosophy is that a CEO should empower and inspire their employees, positioning them to contribute significantly to the company’s success. This leadership style, Huang argues, is not just about leading but also about supporting and enabling others to achieve greatness, a principle he continually upholds in his role at Nvidia.
Major Points
- Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, attributes his leadership style to his early work experiences, including his time as a busboy and dishwasher.
- Despite a net worth estimated at nearly $108 billion, Huang emphasizes the importance of humility, often sharing stories of his modest beginnings to illustrate his willingness to undertake any task.
- Huang’s hands-on management approach involves direct interaction with his employees, requesting weekly updates and personally discussing projects to provide guidance and feedback.
- He maintains about fifty direct reports, a strategy he believes enhances direct communication and efficiency within Nvidia.
- Huang consistently focuses on empowering and inspiring his employees, aiming to put them in the best position to contribute to Nvidia’s overall success.
James Kravitz – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
