#166 Robert Noyce Intel

In the episode featuring Leslie Berlin's biography, "The Man Behind the Microchip: Robert Noyce and the Invention of Silicon Valley," the host delves into the life and impact of Robert Noyce, a pioneer whose mentorship of Steve Jobs and co-founding of Intel shaped the tech world. Noyce, known for his rapid intellect and disdain for bureaucracy, led the "traitorous eight" in founding Fairchild Semiconductor and later Intel, fostering a culture of innovation and flat hierarchy. His management style, which emphasized enabling over directing, and his decision to price integrated circuits below cost to stimulate market demand, were as revolutionary as his technical contributions. Despite personal struggles, including a difficult marriage, Noyce's legacy endures in Silicon Valley's entrepreneurial spirit, inspiring generations to "go off and do something wonderful."

• Steve Jobs was mentored by Bob Noyce, who provided him with valuable perspectives and guidance.
• Bob Noyce's influence on Jobs helped him understand the importance of historical context in the tech industry.
• Jobs credits Noyce for helping him understand the landscape before the era of tech giants like Intel, Google, Microsoft, Apple, and the rise of wealthy entrepreneurs.

"Bob Noyce took me under his wing, Steve Jobs said. I was young, in my twenties, and he was in his early 50s. He tried to give me the lay of the land, to give me a perspective that I could only partially understand."

The quote emphasizes the mentorship role Bob Noyce played in Steve Jobs' life, providing him with insights and understanding of the tech industry's history and evolution.

• Robert Noyce led a group of eight men to found Fairchild Semiconductor in 1957.
• Noyce's quick mind and leadership skills helped him manage Fairchild and later co-found Intel with Gordon Moore.
• He preferred small companies for their cooperative and hardworking cultures.
• After stepping back from Intel, Noyce focused on mentoring the next generation of tech entrepreneurs and investing in startups.

"Leading the group of eight was an Iowa born physicist named Robert Noyce, a minister's son and former champion diver with a doctorate from MIT and a mind so quick that his friends called him rapid Robert."

This quote introduces Robert Noyce as a leading figure in the early days of Silicon Valley, highlighting his background and intellectual capabilities.

• Noyce was known for his persuasive powers and inspirational vision of a limitless future.
• Despite his small-town roots, he built large companies and maintained a down-to-earth charm.
• Warren Buffett admired Noyce's intelligence and relatability, while his mother highlighted his drive to excel in various pursuits.
• Noyce's complex personality encompassed a competitive nature, skepticism of large bureaucracies, and a balance between wealth and folksy charm.

"His powers of persuasion were legendary. He inspired in nearly everyone whom he encountered a sense that the future had no limits and that together they could, as he liked to say, go off and do something wonderful."

The quote captures Noyce's ability to inspire and motivate others with his vision and charisma, which contributed to his success and impact on the tech industry.

• The transcript references Leslie Berlin's book "The Man Behind the Microchip," which details Robert Noyce's life and contributions.
• Speaker A connects the book to previous podcast episodes and the importance of understanding Noyce's role in Silicon Valley's history.

"That was an excerpt from the book that I'm going to talk to you about today, which is the man behind the microchip, Robert Noyce in the invention of Silicon Valley. And it was written by Leslie Berlin."

This quote introduces the book that serves as the basis for the podcast discussion, positioning it as a significant work on Robert Noyce's influence on Silicon Valley.

• William Shockley and Robert Noyce both had similar intelligence and skills but ended their lives with vastly different legacies.
• Shockley's failure and Noyce's success are used to illustrate the right and wrong ways to approach business and life.
• Noyce is presented as the "anti-Shockley," embodying the traits and decisions that lead to success.

"And William Shockley and Bob Noyce both worked in the same industry. Bob Noyce used to work for William Shockley. Let's say they even have the same level of intelligence and similar skills. Yet why was William Shockley, at the end of his life, such a failure that his wife couldn't even have a funeral for him?"

The quote contrasts the end-of-life outcomes of Shockley and Noyce, setting up the discussion on the factors that contributed to their divergent paths.

• Noyce's competitive nature and charisma were evident from childhood.
• The Great Depression had a profound impact on Noyce's family, shaping his drive and work ethic.
• His rebelliousness and mischievous behavior in youth transitioned into a determination to succeed and excel academically.
• A close call with expulsion from college taught Noyce the importance of making wise decisions.

"Bob Noyce's earliest childhood memory involves beating his father at ping pong and feeling absolutely devastated when his mother's reaction to this was, hey, wasn't that nice that daddy let you win?"

This quote illustrates Noyce's innate competitiveness and aversion to the idea of not earning his victories, a trait that would follow him throughout his life.

• Noyce excelled in physics and was greatly influenced by his teacher, Grant Gale.
• Gale's teaching methods emphasized practical knowledge and encouraged students to have conviction in their answers.
• Noyce's vision of achieving more and constantly pushing himself was a key aspect of his success.

"In his introductory course, Gail focused on demonstrating the relevance of physics to daily life... He issued notetaking. He said, that's what textbooks are for in favor of real life demonstrations."

The quote showcases the teaching philosophy of Grant Gale, who played a significant role in shaping Noyce's approach to learning and problem-solving.

• Noyce's life was characterized by taking calculated risks and having confidence in his ability to learn and succeed.
• His practice of envisioning success and pushing for more was a constant theme in his career and personal life.
• Noyce's fascination with transistors and his understanding of complex concepts at a young age set the stage for his future achievements.

"Noyce was slowly gathering experiences that would anchor his adult approach to life, which was not so much an approach as a headlong rush into any challenge, with the unshakable assumption that he would emerge not only successful but triumphant."

This quote encapsulates Noyce's proactive and confident approach to life, highlighting his belief in his ability to overcome challenges and achieve success.

• Everyone experiences moments of doubt and uncertainty, which is a normal part of the process towards success.
• Bill Gates had extreme confidence and set high goals for himself, but also faced periods of intense doubt.
• Dr. Seuss felt lost post-college, questioning his direction in life.
• Bob Noyce experienced self-doubt during his time at graduate school, despite being successful academically.
• It's important to remind oneself that these feelings are temporary and to continue pushing forward.

"I always think about using Bill Gates. Another example. He's very cocky when he's younger. He's like, I'll be a millionaire by 30. Winds up under. He was worth like 350,000,000 by the time he was 30. So he's rather wrong about that."

The quote emphasizes the importance of setting ambitious goals and the normalcy of experiencing self-doubt along the way to achieving them.

"His own life struck him as so bleak that for one of the few times in his life, Bob Noyce openly questioned what he was doing."

This quote illustrates that even highly successful individuals like Bob Noyce can have moments of deep self-doubt and questioning.

• Noyce was an outstanding student at MIT, recognized by his professors and nominated for a fellowship.
• Despite his self-doubt, Noyce's performance in graduate school was highly regarded, and he received accolades for his work.
• The positive feedback and recognition from academic institutions can serve as a significant encouragement and validation for students.

"Mr. Noce has been an outstanding student in all respects."

This quote from a letter at MIT confirms Noyce's academic excellence and potential, serving as a testament to his capabilities.

• Noyce was known for his quick learning and not shying away from challenges, earning him the nickname "Rapid Robert."
• Instead of starting with easy tasks, Noyce would tackle difficult ones to force himself to learn and adapt.
• This approach to learning and problem-solving is indicative of Noyce's ambitious and fearless character.

"Noyce apparently started on the intermediate runs on the assumptions that since he would end up there soon enough, why not just skip the bunny slopes and aim high?"

The quote describes Noyce's approach to skiing, which metaphorically represents his attitude towards learning and mastering new skills.

• Noyce had a profound distrust of people he considered overly cerebral and disconnected from broader perspectives.
• He viewed his professor's mind as too focused on his own field, lacking the ability to engage in diverse conversations.
• Noyce's attitude towards Shockley and his management style was critical, emphasizing the importance of interpersonal skills and charisma.

"He once described his professor's mind as perverted, too much wrapped up in his own field and closed to anything else."

This quote reflects Noyce's disdain for those who are too narrowly focused and not open to broader ideas or discussions.

• Noyce's financial situation at 28 was modest, with a net worth close to zero, yet he was supporting a family and had a stable job.
• The decision to work for Shockley was a significant risk for Noyce, especially considering his wife's reluctance to move.
• Noyce's move to California to work with Shockley marked a pivotal moment in his career, despite the financial and personal risks involved.

"My current assets are I have household furnishings for an apartment, I have a car valued at $700, I have $300 in the bank, I have stocks about $650, and I have a $20,000 life insurance policy."

This quote provides a snapshot of Noyce's financial situation before his major career decisions, highlighting the risks he took to pursue his passion.

• Shockley's management style was autocratic, demanding that his ideas be followed unless someone could prove a better approach.
• Noyce, in contrast, had charisma and was seen as a natural leader, fostering a collaborative environment.
• The culture under Shockley was detrimental, leading to the short lifespan of Shockley Semiconductor.

"Shockley's behavior deteriorated to the point that the lab came to resemble a big psychiatric institute."

The quote illustrates the negative impact of Shockley's leadership style on the work environment and the mental well-being of his team.

• The "Traitorous Eight" left Shockley Semiconductor to found Fairchild Semiconductor, with Noyce as their de facto leader.
• Despite his fears and insecurities, Noyce stepped up to lead the company, emphasizing a flat hierarchy and collaborative work environment.
• Noyce's leadership at Fairchild was marked by encouraging innovation and minimizing bureaucracy, similar to the early days of Microsoft.

"Noyce was tempted, but he feared him ill prepared to oversee an entire company."

This quote captures Noyce's initial hesitation to lead Fairchild Semiconductor, reflecting the common fear of not feeling ready for leadership roles.

• Noyce was an idea generator who preferred to focus on inspiration rather than the meticulous labor of science.
• He believed in exploring ideas that seemed physically possible, regardless of conventional wisdom.
• Noyce's approach to innovation was iterative, building upon each step to refine and progress towards a solution.

"Thinking in little steps will take you there."

This quote summarizes Noyce's methodical approach to innovation, emphasizing the importance of taking small, consistent steps towards achieving a larger goal.

• Speaker A expresses disdain for Shockley's lack of people skills and inability to adapt his managerial approach.
• Speaker A sees Bob Noyce's people skills and management style as superior and more effective.
• Steve Jobs is mentioned as an example of someone who learned and improved his people skills over time, contrasting with Shockley's stagnation.
• Speaker A emphasizes the importance of learning from negative examples, like Shockley's management style.

"Anti shock, Lee. Anti shockly. And then later on, the author, Leslie, actually used that term. So I felt a little bit of vindication there." "He had not changed his managerial approach since his days at Shockley. He still displayed the same tendencies to make suggestions." "Steve Jobs did not. He had to learn how to do."

The quotes reflect Speaker A's recognition of Leslie Berlin's similar sentiment regarding Shockley and highlight Shockley's unchanged and ineffective management style. They also draw a parallel with Steve Jobs, who unlike Shockley, evolved his interpersonal skills.

• Noyce preferred to make suggestions rather than issue commands.
• He led meetings in a way that seemed self-directed but was actually carefully managed.
• Noyce believed in giving employees freedom and trusted them to do the right thing.
• His laissez-faire management style fostered creativity and collaboration at Fairchild Semiconductor and later Intel.
• Noyce's approach was to work with people, not above them, and he was highly regarded for his ability to enable rather than direct.

"He had not changed his managerial approach since his days at Shockley. He still displayed the same tendency to make suggestions." "Noyce believed that people given enough freedom will choose to do the right thing." "Noise's topped objective was to keep Fairchild from becoming Shockley semiconductor labs, a place he called the model of what not to do."

These quotes outline Noyce's approach to management, contrasting it with Shockley's, and detail his objectives to create a collaborative and positive work environment that avoided the pitfalls of Shockley Semiconductor Labs.

• Noyce experienced rapid financial success, going from borrowing money to start the company to becoming wealthy in a short span.
• Despite his financial success, Noyce did not have significant failures that made him cautious.
• Speaker A discusses the importance of personal growth and the impact one person can have on history, referencing Noyce's views on Christianity and entrepreneurship.
• Noyce's management style was deeply appreciated by his employees, which in turn motivated them to perform better.

"At 33, noise now had more money than he or anyone else in his family had ever possessed." "Noyce did not talk much about religion, even though he was a minister's son, though he did on one occasion point out the entrepreneurial and motivational messages latent in the Christmas story."

The quotes highlight Noyce's financial success and his unique perspective on the intersection of religion and entrepreneurship, which influenced his approach to management and personal beliefs.

• Noyce valued personal interaction and recognition of his employees' work.
• He understood the importance of appreciation and its long-term benefits over financial rewards.
• Noyce engaged with employees on a personal level, showing interest in their lives.
• His decision-making process involved consulting knowledgeable people, regardless of their position in the hierarchy.
• Noyce's optimism and passion were key traits that inspired others.

"He wrote personal notes to researchers whose work impressed him." "Noise would wander through the main semiconductor building, admiring aloud the family photos that employees had on their desks." "Noise once said that the job of a manager is an enabling, not a directive job."

The quotes exemplify Noyce's approach to leadership, emphasizing personal appreciation, engagement with employees, and the role of a manager as an enabler rather than a director.

• Noyce predicted future technologies like smartphones long before they became a reality.
• His focus on innovation and the future was a driving force at Fairchild Semiconductor.
• Noyce's management allowed for creative freedom, which led to significant technological advancements.
• He believed in the potential of his team and the importance of maintaining a fast-moving, young organization.

"In 1965, for example, he told a gathering of financial analysts that he expected one day to see integrated circuits inside of portable telephones, personal paging systems and palm-sized TVs." "The best way to get something done is to have enough confidence in yourself and your men to do it."

These quotes demonstrate Noyce's visionary thinking and confidence in his team's ability to innovate, which were key factors in Fairchild Semiconductor's success and influence on the technology industry.

• Fairchild Semiconductor experienced rapid growth in terms of employees and infrastructure.
• Noyce and his team were driven by a desire to succeed independently of financial incentives.
• The company's strategy involved selling integrated circuits at a price lower than the cost of individual components, which was a revolutionary approach at the time.

"By 1968, Fairchild employed some 4000 people in 140,000 plant space outside the United States." "A great market pulls the product out of you."

The quotes reflect the explosive growth of Fairchild Semiconductor and Noyce's understanding of market forces, which involved a bold pricing strategy to stimulate demand and drive down production costs.

• Noyce struggled with maintaining a work-life balance, which affected his personal life and family relationships.
• Despite his professional success, Noyce viewed his inability to balance work and family as a personal failure.
• He acknowledged his limitations in running large organizations and the importance of choosing the right partners, such as Andy Grove and Gordon Moore.

"Noise was powerful, attractive and unhappy at home." "One thing I learned at Fairchild is that I don't run large organizations well."

These quotes reveal the personal challenges Noyce faced despite his professional achievements and his self-awareness regarding his strengths and weaknesses as a leader.

• Bob Noyce and Gordon Moore had different but complementary skills that were crucial to Intel's success.
• Noyce was adept at building connections with external parties, while Moore excelled in internal company leadership.
• Moore's expertise in R&D and his ability to bring Andy Grove to Intel were significant contributions.
• Despite their differences, Noyce and Moore shared a competitive drive to excel.

"where Noyce saw the big picture, Moore could discern detail... Noyce rarely set foot in the lab after 1965, but Moore had an intensely loyal following in R and D... So you cannot understate the impact and the importance more was noise gets all the attention. But Moore was very, very important to the success intel had and Fairchild and different and all their apparent differences."

This quote emphasizes the complementary skills of Noyce and Moore, highlighting Moore's critical role in R&D and his contribution to Intel's success, which is often overshadowed by Noyce's more public persona.

• Andy Grove had doubts about Bob Noyce's leadership style.
• Grove observed that Noyce allowed conflict without taking charge, which Grove found ineffective.
• Grove's own challenging early life experiences shaped his views on leadership and success.

"Grove, alone among the group planning to leave Fairchild with Noyce and more, had serious doubts about its leadership... Noy's refusal to take charge irritated Grove."

This quote highlights Andy Grove's dissatisfaction with Bob Noyce's passive leadership approach, suggesting that Grove valued a more active and decisive leadership style.

• Noyce and Moore faced doubts about starting a new venture due to their age and time away from hands-on technology.
• They reframed their age as experience, which they saw as an asset due to their deep industry knowledge.
• The decision to start Intel was also a strategic move to escape the slow decision-making at Fairchild.

"Noyce had briefly wondered if he and Moore were too old... After a bit of thought, however, he decided that his and Moore's age, if reconsidered, as experience, was an asset."

This quote reflects the introspection and eventual confidence Noyce had in leveraging his and Moore's experience to overcome doubts and establish Intel.

• Intel's founders were strategic about keeping their plans secret to avoid premature competition.
• The concept of moving in silence was seen as advantageous in a competitive business landscape.
• They aimed to be the first to market, drawing parallels to a rifleman painting the target around the bullet hole.

"Secrecy was essential for Noise's and Moore's plan to work. Intel scientists did not give talks that would benefit competitors."

The quote underscores the importance of secrecy in Intel's early strategy, highlighting the deliberate effort to avoid giving competitors any advantage.

• Noyce preferred a "quick and dirty" approach to research and development over meticulous planning.
• He believed in the value of moving quickly and learning from action rather than over-planning.
• Noyce's management style favored personal freedom and flexibility over rigid control.

"Noyce believed that the quick and dirty method generated 90% of the answer in 10% of the time."

This quote encapsulates Noyce's philosophy of prioritizing speed and practicality in research and development, suggesting that a faster, less precise approach can yield significant results.

• Bob Noyce prioritized knowledge over hierarchy when making technical decisions.
• This approach contrasted with William Shockley's more hierarchical style.
• Noyce's philosophy empowered those with expertise, regardless of their position.

"At intel, noise spoke of hierarchy power and knowledge power, and firmly believed that when it came to technical decisions, the word of the person with the most knowledge ought to trump the opinions of the one with the higher title."

The quote reflects Noyce's belief in the primacy of knowledge over organizational rank in decision-making, valuing expertise over authority.

• Bob Noyce valued honesty and accountability in addressing problems with customers.
• His straightforward approach to admitting and fixing mistakes helped maintain customer trust.

"Bob was just so straightforward and didn't try to sweep things under the carpet... 'We goofed up.'"

This quote illustrates Noyce's candid and responsible approach to problem-solving, which helped to build and sustain trust with customers.

• Despite professional success, Noyce's personal life had challenges, including a difficult marriage.
• He preferred working on ventures that were in the early, high-growth stages.
• Noyce's unexpected death at 62 was a reminder of the unpredictability of life.
• His legacy is not just in his tangible achievements but also in the entrepreneurial spirit he inspired.

"Noise's most enduring legacy cannot be measured in buildings, accolades, awards, honors, not in dollars earned or given away, not in stock price or market share... his influence endures in a set of ideals that have become an indelible part of american high tech culture."

This quote captures the essence of Bob Noyce's legacy, which lies in the ideals and entrepreneurial culture he fostered, transcending his concrete accomplishments.