Ali Foughi has served in executive positions in some of Silicon Valley's most successful companies such as InvenSense, Inc. and Maxim Integrated Products. Mr. Foughi shares his experience in this 5-part series.

1. By Ali Foughi

2. 
Ali Foughi has served in executive positions
in some of Silicon Valley's most successful
companies such as InvenSense, Inc. and
Maxim Integrated Products. Mr. Foughi shares
his experience in this 5-part series.

3. 
Some executives take the route of improving the
P&L by reducing the work force. That does not
require any vision or talent. The more
fundamental and challenging approach is to grow
the top line. Top line growth solves a lot of
problems. To achieve top line growth, you need a
creative work force to develop
strategy, define, design, layout, fabricate, test, m
arket, and sell highly differentiated solutions.
While headcount reduction increases the profit
margin and improves the P&L in the short
term, excessive reduction also comes at the
expense of long-term growth.

4. 
It is important for executives to make decisions
based on data and knowledge instead of gut feel
or instinct. On the other hand, one will never
have “optimum” data so it is important to make
decisions based on less than optimum, and
therefore partial, data. However decisions must
be made and not making them is, by default, a
decision to do nothing. Executives must be able
to risk failure and still make decisions. If you
have a hard time making decisions, perhaps a
leadership position is not ideal for you.

5. 
Mr. Foughi is not driven by the need to be liked
by everyone, rather to be respected for his
abilities to lead an organization and for
accomplishing measurable, steady, and
significant results. The visionary founder of
Maxim, Jack Gifford, gained the respect of his
executives and employees by his
vision, determination to achieve steady
results, his unparalleled passion, and disciplined
approach. Ali Foughi recalls fondly, “Jack Gifford
led by example and gained our respect. Working
for Jack was incredibly educational and an
honor.”