High Output Management

by Andrew S. Grove

As president of a company, I can affect output through my direct subordinates—group general managers and others like them—by performing supervisory activities. I can also influence groups not under my direct supervision by making observations and suggestions to those who manage them. Both types of activity will, I hope, contribute to my output as a manager by contributing to the output of the company as a whole. I was once asked by a middle manager at Intel how I could teach in-plant courses, visit manufacturing plants, concern myself with the problems of people several levels removed from me in the organization, and still have time to do my job. I asked him what he thought my job was. He thought for a moment, and then answered his own question, “I guess those things are your job too, aren’t they?” They are absolutely my job—not my entire job, but part of it, because they help add to the output of Intel.