Only the Paranoid Survive

Andrew S. Grove | 4.25 | 7,470 ratings and reviews

Recommended by Charles T. Munger, Steve Jobs, Ben Horowitz, and 11 others. See all reviews

Ranked #37 in Silicon Valley, Ranked #66 in Business Competition — see more rankings.

Under Andy Grove's leadership, Intel has become the world's largestchipmaker, the fifth-most-admired company in America, and theseventh-most-profitable company among the Fortune 500. You don't achieverankings like these unless you have mastered a rare understanding of the art ofbusiness and an unusual way with its practice.Few CEOs can claim this level of consistent record-breaking success. Groveattributes much of this success to the philosophy and strategy he reveals in "Only the Paranoid Survive--" a book that is unique in leadership annalsfor offering a bold new business measure, and for taking the reader deep insidethe workings of a major corporation.

Grove's contribution to business thinking concerns a new way of measuring thenightmare moment every leader dreads--the moment when massive change occurs andall bets are off. The success you had the day before is gone, destroyed byunforeseen changes that hit like a stage-six rapid. Grove calls such momentsStrategic Inflection Points, and he has lived through several. When SlPs hit, all rules of business shift fast, furiously, and forever. SlPs can be set offby almost anything--megacompetition, an arcane change in regulations, or aseemingly modest change in technology.

Yet in the watchful leader's hand, SlPs can be an ace. Managed right, a companycan turn a SIP into a positive force to win in the marketplace and emergestronger than ever.

To achieve that level of mastery over change, you must know its propertiesinside and out. Grove addresses questions such as these: What are the stages ofthese tidal waves? What sources do you turn to in order to foresee dangersbefore trouble announces itself? When threats abound, how do you dealwith youremotions, your calendar, your career--as well as with your most loyal managersand customers, who may cling to tradition?

No stranger to risk, Grove examines his own record of success and failure, including the drama of how he navigated the events of the Pentium flaw, whichthreatened Intel in a major way, and how he is dealing with the SIP brought onby the Internet. The work of a lifetime of reflection, "Only the ParanoidSurvive" is a contemporary classic of leadership skills.

"This terrific book is a dangerous book. It will make people think."
--Peter Drucker

"This books is about one super-important concept. You must learn about Strategic Inflection Points, because sooner or later you are going to live through one."
--Steve Jobs, Pixar Animation Studios less

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Reviews and Recommendations

We've comprehensively compiled reviews of Only the Paranoid Survive from the world's leading experts.

Steve Jobs Founder/AppleThis book is about one super-important concept. You must learn about Strategic Inflection Points, because sooner or later you are going to live through one. (Source)

Charles T. Munger Vice Chairman/Berkshire HathawayIn my whole life, I have known no wise people (over a broad subject matter area) who didn't read all the time -- none, zero. You'd be amazed at how much Warren reads -- and at how much I read. My children laugh at me. They think I'm a book with a couple of legs sticking out. (Source)

Ben Horowitz Co-founder/Andreessen HorowitzAndy Grove's Only the Paranoid Survive is a great book on strategy. (Source)

Vinod Khosla Co-Founder/Sun MicrosystemRecommends this book

Jamie Dimon CEO/JPMorgan ChaseRecommends this book

Vinod Khosla Co-Founder/Sun MicrosystemRecommends this book

Marc Andreessen Co-Founder/Andreessen HorowitzOther Books for Those Getting out of College: 4 Steps to the Epiphany High Output Management, Andrew Grove– Best book on management ever written Only the Paranoid Survive Peter Theil – Zero to One (Source)

Chris Goward Here are some of the books that have been very impactful for me, or taught me a new way of thinking: [...] Only the Paranoid Survive. (Source)