The way that Jensen Huang runs Nvidia is wild: 40 direct reports....
Sean Kelly@seanpk
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Aug 31, 2024
~3 min read
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The way that Jensen Huang runs Nvidia is wild: 40 direct reports. No 1:1s. No formal planning cycles. And no status reports.
In a recent interview, he went in-depth on his Leadership style. Every entrepreneur must understand why it works:
In a recent interview, he went in-depth on his Leadership style. Every entrepreneur must understand why it works:
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Nvidia’s numbers are so huge it’s hard to understand them on a human scale.
In the first quarter of 2024, they generated $26 billion in revenue, averaging $163.52 million in daily net profit.
That’s ~$1 billion in profit every week. Just insane.
In the first quarter of 2024, they generated $26 billion in revenue, averaging $163.52 million in daily net profit.
That’s ~$1 billion in profit every week. Just insane.
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Jensen founded Nvidia at 30 with just $200.
👉 He sold 20% of the company to his lawyer for $200 (now worth $380B)👉 Bought a Mac to make a pitch deck on software called Persuasion
👉 Was clueless for the first six months
His lesson? No task is beneath him!
👉 He sold 20% of the company to his lawyer for $200 (now worth $380B)👉 Bought a Mac to make a pitch deck on software called Persuasion
👉 Was clueless for the first six months
His lesson? No task is beneath him!
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The very first thing I noticed is how hard Jensen works. He has been working 14 hours a day for decades.
Very few have a strong enough mindset to even step into the ring with this man.
Very few have a strong enough mindset to even step into the ring with this man.
0:12
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Jensen doesn't use status updates because he believes they are too refined when they get to him.
Instead, anyone in the company can email him their "Top five things" regarding whatever is at the top of their mind, and he will read it.
He reads 100s of these every morning.
Instead, anyone in the company can email him their "Top five things" regarding whatever is at the top of their mind, and he will read it.
He reads 100s of these every morning.
1:16
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This approach aligns with NVIDIA's innovative culture and Jensen Huang's hands-on leadership style:
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👉 Flat Hierarchy with Group Collaboration
Jensen believes a flat organizational structure is the most empowering, starting at the top.
That means all the discussions and decision-making happen in a group setting.
Jensen believes a flat organizational structure is the most empowering, starting at the top.
That means all the discussions and decision-making happen in a group setting.
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A flat organization leads to:
• Direct communication across levels
• Increased employee autonomy
• Reduced middle management
• Faster decision-making
• Hierarchy minimization
• Greater transparency
• Direct communication across levels
• Increased employee autonomy
• Reduced middle management
• Faster decision-making
• Hierarchy minimization
• Greater transparency
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👉 Open Access to Information and Decision-Making
Everyone in the company should have full context, all the time. No meetings are exclusive to VPs or directors.
Jensen believes in sharing strategic directions with everyone: "Why just tell one person?"
Everyone in the company should have full context, all the time. No meetings are exclusive to VPs or directors.
Jensen believes in sharing strategic directions with everyone: "Why just tell one person?"
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He also addresses concerns openly: "If there's something I don't like, I say it publicly."
Then he practices reasoning out loud to keep the decision-making process transparent.
Then he practices reasoning out loud to keep the decision-making process transparent.
1:15
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👉 Continuous Re-evaluation Over Rigid Planning
Jensen rejects formal planning cycles: No 5-year or even 1-year plans.
The idea is constantly reevaluating strategies based on changing business and market conditions.
This is very useful given the rapid pace of AI development.
Jensen rejects formal planning cycles: No 5-year or even 1-year plans.
The idea is constantly reevaluating strategies based on changing business and market conditions.
This is very useful given the rapid pace of AI development.
0:30
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Planning is just guessing.
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Nvidia is optimized for:
1) Attracting amazing people
2) Keeping the team as small as it can be
3) Allowing information to travel as quickly as possible
1) Attracting amazing people
2) Keeping the team as small as it can be
3) Allowing information to travel as quickly as possible
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RT the first tweet if you found this thread valuable.
Follow me @seanpk for more threads on entrepreneurship, investing, and human performance.
Follow me @seanpk for more threads on entrepreneurship, investing, and human performance.
Sean Kelly@seanpk
The way that Jensen Huang runs Nvidia is wild: 40 direct reports. No 1:1s. No formal planning cycles. And no status reports.
In a recent interview, he went in-depth on his Leadership style. Every entrepreneur must understand why it works:
In a recent interview, he went in-depth on his Leadership style. Every entrepreneur must understand why it works:
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A bit about me:
20 years ago, I was a broke biomedical engineering college student trying to get my first biz off the ground.
Since then, I’ve grown six 7-figure businesses, three 8-figure businesses & raised $50M+ in VC. I'm also a General Partner at The Family Fund.
20 years ago, I was a broke biomedical engineering college student trying to get my first biz off the ground.
Since then, I’ve grown six 7-figure businesses, three 8-figure businesses & raised $50M+ in VC. I'm also a General Partner at The Family Fund.
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And I do all of this while prioritizing my health, traveling for fun every month & not grinding 24/7.
It's all possible due to my custom HyperGrowthHQ Command Module.
Sign up here to gain access: get.hypergrowthhq.com/waitlist/
It's all possible due to my custom HyperGrowthHQ Command Module.
Sign up here to gain access: get.hypergrowthhq.com/waitlist/