Lessons from Jensen Huang and The Nvidia Way
Leadership lessons from Jensen Huang: resilience, innovation, and relentless execution.
I just finished reading The Nvidia Way by
, which dives into how Jensen Huang built Nvidia into a tech powerhouse. It’s a story of relentless innovation, resilience, and high standards, and there are some incredible lessons to take away. Here are seven of my favorite anecdotes about Huang’s leadership and how they can inspire us in business and beyond.1. Constant Innovation is Survival
Jensen likes to say: “The only thing that lasts longer than our products is sushi.” For Nvidia, innovation isn’t optional—it’s survival. Even when the company is ahead, it treats every product cycle as a chance to leap forward. It’s a great reminder for any business: no matter how good your product is today, you can’t rest on your success.
2. Excellence Requires the Grind
When employees grumbled about Nvidia’s long hours, Jensen didn’t offer sympathy. Instead, he said: “People who train for the Olympics grumble about training early in the morning, too.” Huang’s belief is simple: extraordinary results require extraordinary effort. Businesses that aim for greatness need a culture where discipline and sacrifice are the norm.
3. Confronting Harsh Realities
In Nvidia’s early days, the company had to lay off 60% of its staff to survive. Jensen told the remaining team: “Guys, it’s time to quit polishing the turd.” Facing failure head-on allowed Nvidia to pivot and ultimately thrive. The takeaway? Sugarcoating failure wastes time. Great leaders confront the truth and use it as a foundation for rebuilding.
4. Working at the “Speed of Light”
Jensen pushes Nvidia teams to work at the theoretical fastest pace possible, with no allowances for delays or inefficiencies. His philosophy: “How fast can you do it, and why aren’t you doing it that fast?” This approach forces teams to eliminate bottlenecks and inefficiencies. For any business, urgency and disciplined execution are essential to staying ahead.
5. Owning Failure Publicly
When Nvidia released the flawed NV30 product, Jensen didn’t shy away from the truth: “Is this the piece of shit you intended to build?” He even brought in a Best Buy executive to critique the product in front of employees. Publicly owning mistakes reinforces accountability and sets a high standard for improvement—a critical trait for companies striving for excellence.
6. Pushing People to Their Potential
“I don’t like giving up on people. I’d rather torture them into greatness,” Jensen said. His leadership style isn’t about being liked—it’s about helping people achieve what they didn’t think was possible. This approach may not work for everyone, but it shows that great leaders prioritize their team’s growth over comfort.
7. Success Shouldn’t Breed Complacency
After Nvidia crushed a quarterly earnings report, Jensen told his team: “I look in the mirror every morning and say, ‘You suck.’” His point? Success can make you complacent, and complacency kills innovation. Leaders need to stay focused on what’s next, no matter how great the current results look.
Final Thoughts: Jensen Huang’s leadership is a masterclass in resilience, accountability, and relentless execution. His approach—embracing innovation, holding teams to high standards, and never settling for mediocrity—offers lessons for any business or leader. Whether you’re building a tech giant or a small team, there’s something here worth applying to your own work.
