Tough Things First: Leadership Lessons from Silicon Valley's Longest Serving CEO

Book excerpt: Silicon Valley's longest-serving and most consistently profitable CEO shares lessons from his entrepreneurship, leadership, management, and life experience Ray Zinn founded his semiconductor company without venture capital and ran it for 37 years, 36 of them profitably—an enviable record. He went blind weeks before his company went public, yet he led it for another 20 years. Tough Things First, the distillation of Zinn’s astonishing career as CEO of Micrel, is a comprehensive, inspirational head-to-toe training program for entrepreneurs and leaders. Zinn gives you the guidance you need to: • Find your vision, set your goals, and make them happen • Build your business like you’d train your body: with heart, soul, mind, and passion • Master the psychological disciplines that will sharpen your focus and drive • Create a corporate culture that engages employees and inspires confidence • Put people first and push them to achieve their personal best • Tackle the tough jobs today—and ensure your success tomorrow Zinn tells you what it takes to succeed in a world where markets are constantly changing, new technologies are emerging, and small startups are going head to head with industry giants. He shows you how to be a good leader and what you can do to make yourself even better. He reveals why discipline is the first and most important step—for the entrepreneur and the organization—and why people are your single most valuable resource. He offers practical, no-nonsense advice on processes and procedures, finances and growth creation, changing markets and new technology. But that’s not all. The key to your success, Zinn explains, lies in your mind, your body, your vision, and your heart. This book shows you how to develop these interconnected skills, how to integrate them into your life and work, and how to handle the tough things first.