Ever wonder what was going on at Intel during the great Pentium floating-point debacle of 1994? Andy Grove, president and CEO of Intel, gives us an idea in his book, Only the Paranoid Survive. When university researchers discovered a bug in the floating-point routines of Intel's new flagship Pentium processor, Intel tried to ignore it - until CNN sent a film crew to get the company's official reaction.
What was Grove thinking? Mostly he was trying to figure out why everyone was so mad. Intel employees saw themselves as a bunch of hotshot engineers; they didn't think Joe Sixpack would blame Intel if he couldn't land his flight simulator without crashing.
Grove uses incidents like this one to illustrate his main point about "strategic inflection points," a mouthful describing a really big change that has a profound effect on an industry, a company, or an individual career.
These changes can drive you under or help you thrive. Grove talks about how to recognize or, even better, anticipate them. Some of his best tips tell how to run a big corporation where ideas and information can flow freely. His touchy-feely ideas about management and employee empowerment, however, sometimes seem like a Dilbert cartoon seen through the looking glass. They make good sense, but are ripe for misinterpretive mangling as they descend through umpteen layers of middle management.
Grove's at his best discussing events inside Intel, such as how low-cost Japanese suppliers forced Intel out of the memory business and squarely into microprocessors. With hindsight, this move looks obvious. It required, however, a gut-wrenching change in the Intel corporate culture. Grove has a nice touch in describing the feel of a company he obviously loves. He recognizes that he's somewhat isolated at the top, but retains a good sense of humor and perspective.
The silliest part of the book has Grove pondering whether or not the Internet is a Really Big Thing. He thinks it probably is but wants to wait and see. Wake up, Andy. Don't wait for a film crew to make up your mind this time.
Only the Paranoid Survive: How to Exploit the Crisis Points That Challenge Every Company and Career, by Andrew S. Grove: US$27.50. Doubleday: +1 (516) 873 4561.
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