Beyond Memories: Encounters with Andy Grove

Beyond Memories:  Encounters with Andy Grove  

1) The Andy I was promised

This story about Andy Grove doesn’t actually include Andy.  It describes the Andy I was led to expect during my Intel interview. It depicts an Andy I came to know (and adore) over the next decade at Intel and well beyond.

The year was 1991.  I was interviewing for a basic market research role with the newly minted company marketing team at Intel led by Dennis Carter (an amazing man in his own right). My last interview of the day was with “KT”. KT asked how I thought I would fit in at Intel, known but not always admired for its strong and often aggressive culture.  Asked to describe that culture, KT suggested, somewhat apologetically, that it was a lot like the Army.  “How so?” I asked, scanning the room for the nearest exit sign.  

“Well”, he said, “imagine that it’s 6:30 after a long day of work.  You suddenly find Andy Grove in your cubicle, screaming at you about how you’ve “fucked it up”.  

“Wait”, I asked - “Andy Grove, the CEO of 24,000 person company knows what I’ve done?”  

“Yes”

“He wants to talk to me about it?”

“Yes”

“He doesn’t summon me to his office but instead comes to talk to me in my own cube?”  

“Yes”

“Is he right about what happened?

Yes.  

“Is he ‘right’ because he’s the CEO or because he’s really right?”

“He’s really right, alot.”

“Do I get to fix it or do I get fired”?  

“Oh, you get to fix it alright.”

“Hmm… is that really what the Army is like?” I thought with incredulity, curiosity, and admiration.

My reaction was driven by my prior 10 year stint at IBM, Intel’s partner at the time.  At IBM headquarters in Armonk NY, the CEO had his own entrance, own elevator, own dining room, own bathroom, own conference room.  Despite my working just one floor below him at for several years, he certainly did not know who I was or what I did, although I prepared reports for him on a regular basis.  

Then there was Andy.   Andy always knew who did what.  He set a very high bar.  When he found your work lacking, he cared enough to demand more.  I never saw him bitch about anyone when they were not present. He was brutally honest and challenged directly.   He listened intently to anything that might change his assessment.  He could be convinced otherwise.  But if you didn't deliver, Andy would expect and in fact made sure you fixed it, no matter who you were.  This is how he treated the people who worked in the cafeteria as well as his senior vice presidents.   

If you weren’t scared sh*tless by Andy’s volume and tone, you learned something important every time you were in a room with Andy.  He made clear that he expected and trusted you to come through. You did and he appreciated it.