Pat Gelsinger: Andy Grove Wisdom

[Daniel Nenni]

Pat Gelsinger • Following Influencer • engineering expert with four+ decades of technology leadership and experience • 42 minutes ago •

Thirty years ago, I had the privilege of seeing one of humanity's greatest leaders up close. The moment left a lasting impression on so many levels, including a great lesson on leadership.

It was at the ITU Conference in Geneva in 1995. Andy Grove, then CEO of Intel and Time Magazine’s Man of the Year, had been invited to speak. I was with him, helping with his speech and demos and tagging along as his +1. It was a global event – world leaders, tech pioneers, diplomats from the United Nations. We were backstage in the green room with the other presenters.

One of them was Nelson Mandela.

I will never forget who he chose to spend his time with in that moment. Mandela was at the height of his global influence – President of South Africa, having just helped end apartheid. He was on every magazine cover, every newspaper, and all over TV news. But he wasn't making small talk with the power players and dignitaries in the room. He wasn't checking his notes or preparing for his speech. Instead, he was having a conversation with the elderly Black waiter in white gloves who was quietly serving coffee.

He leaned into this man and said:
Tell me about your children.
Where is your home?
Do you have grandchildren?
How did you survive all this?
What is your story? What are your dreams?

It was an amazing moment of leadership and grace. In that moment, I learned that greatness isn’t about who notices you.

 

[fansink]

Pat Gelsinger • Following Influencer • engineering expert with four+ decades of technology leadership and experience • 42 minutes ago •

Thirty years ago, I had the privilege of seeing one of humanity's greatest leaders up close. The moment left a lasting impression on so many levels, including a great lesson on leadership.

It was at the ITU Conference in Geneva in 1995. Andy Grove, then CEO of Intel and Time Magazine’s Man of the Year, had been invited to speak. I was with him, helping with his speech and demos and tagging along as his +1. It was a global event – world leaders, tech pioneers, diplomats from the United Nations. We were backstage in the green room with the other presenters.

One of them was Nelson Mandela.

I will never forget who he chose to spend his time with in that moment. Mandela was at the height of his global influence – President of South Africa, having just helped end apartheid. He was on every magazine cover, every newspaper, and all over TV news. But he wasn't making small talk with the power players and dignitaries in the room. He wasn't checking his notes or preparing for his speech. Instead, he was having a conversation with the elderly Black waiter in white gloves who was quietly serving coffee.

He leaned into this man and said:
Tell me about your children.
Where is your home?
Do you have grandchildren?
How did you survive all this?
What is your story? What are your dreams?

It was an amazing moment of leadership and grace. In that moment, I learned that greatness isn’t about who notices you.

Sorry Pat, this only adds to your irrelevance.

 

[Daniel Nenni]

This is a man with deep regrets. I hope he works it all out.

I did see Andy Grove speak a few times at conferences and I read his books. Definitely an inspiring leader. Read his book Swimming Across, it really explains a lot. Andy was a very grounded man, not up in the clouds like some leaders.

 

[vslee]

My reaction is wow. Not about the story of Andy Grove. But that Pat is still posting about Intel.
I know there were rumors that he was hoping that the board would reinstate him as CEO. But now that they have found a new CEO, that's more than enough to put things to rest. Time to move on, Pat!

 

[MKWVentures]

This is a man with deep regrets. I hope he works it all out.

I did see Andy Grove speak a few times at conferences and I read his books. Definitely an inspiring leader. Read his book Swimming Across, it really explains a lot. Andy was a very grounded man, not up in the clouds like some leaders.

Andy Grove was CEO when I started at Intel. Arguably the greatest semiconductor expert of all time (I was a MOSFET Device engineer at the time and memorized his book) AND the greatest management guru of all time (I memorized High output management and Only the paranoid). And his life story is amazing and inspiring.

Positively Scary in person. Way smart and way driven and not optimistic about new proposals.... (lots of stories). Was also famous for the legend that he drove a VW and Jerry Sanders drove a Rolls... we always liked that.

.... ah the 90s .... good times!

I would consider Pat a complete opposite of Andy Grove. not paranoid, overly optimistic, nice. Positive and encouraging about other people and companies.

I wish Pat well on his motivational speaking and helping Christian organizations. Perfectly aligned calling for him.

 

[count]

I've said this before but I think Pat legitimately believed God chose him to save Intel, and might still believe it.

 

[vslee]

I've said this before but I think Pat legitimately believed God chose him to save Intel, and might still believe it.

If he's right about that, then the board made a major mistake by firing him and will need to answer to a higher power.

 

[FIvr]

Pat believes in on-stage pushups, and that his god is on his side, except that his conception of God is badly wrong among many of his other wrongs.