Jensen Huang’s 6 Unconventional Leadership Habits That Fueled Nvidia’s Record-Breaking Success

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s 6 Key Management Strategies to Lead Like a Genius

In June 2025, Nvidia overtook Apple and Microsoft to become the world’s most valuable publicly traded company, reaching a market capitalization of $3.444 trillion. This milestone reflects soaring demand for Nvidia’s AI chips powering generative AI models like ChatGPT. Behind this success is Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s co-founder and CEO, whose unconventional leadership style stands out in the tech industry.

Huang’s management approach breaks from tradition and offers clear lessons for executives aiming to lead high-performing teams in fast-moving industries.

Nvidia’s climb to the top

Nvidia’s stock surged over 200% in the past year, contributing to more than half of the S&P 500 gains from the Magnificent Seven tech companies. This rapid growth is fueled by Huang’s vision and leadership methods that keep the company agile, focused, and innovative.

1. Maximise direct reports to keep the organisation flat

Unlike most CEOs who limit the number of direct reports, Huang manages about 60 top leaders himself. This keeps Nvidia’s structure flat, reducing bureaucracy and ensuring information and decisions flow freely.

Why it works: Fewer layers mean quicker communication and faster execution.

Huang’s take: "The more direct reports the CEO has, the fewer layers... It allows us to keep information fluid."

2. Give feedback publicly, no private calls

Huang avoids secret one-on-one meetings for feedback. Instead, he gives feedback openly, turning it into a shared learning experience for the whole team.

Why it matters: Public feedback fosters transparency and collective growth, not just individual correction.

Huang’s view: "Feedback is learning. Why are you the only person who should learn this?"

3. Communicate briefly and often

Huang sends dozens of concise emails daily, often just a sentence or two. This keeps messages clear and prevents information overload.

Team impact: Frequent, brief communication keeps everyone aligned and ready to act.

4. Model transparent reasoning

Instead of hiding his thought process, Huang walks his team through his decisions in real time. This practice teaches strategic thinking and helps others develop better decision-making skills.

Huang explains: "If you... share with [your team] how I reasoned through something, I've empowered you."

5. Embrace a ‘mistakes in public’ culture

Huang encourages facing failure openly rather than hiding it. Sharing mistakes turns them into collective lessons that accelerate learning and improvement.

The principle: "Nobody fails alone."

6. Keep a "founder mode" mentality

Huang stays close to the front lines, pushing ambitious goals and maintaining urgency. He often starts meetings reminding teams that the company is "thirty days from going out of business," instilling focus and urgency.

Leadership style: No executive ivory tower — Huang actively engages, asks questions, and demands excellence throughout the organisation.

These six strategies demonstrate a direct, transparent, and high-accountability leadership style. For executives and strategy professionals, Huang’s approach provides a practical blueprint for leading teams in dynamic environments with clarity and focus.

To explore more leadership strategies and AI-driven business insights, visit Complete AI Training.