The CEO of a $210 billion chipmaker conducts weekend meetings and works late into the night, citing the motivation of ambitious goals.

While some CEOs promote work-life balance for their employees, others demand that their workers remain online late into the night and on weekends.

Lisa Su, the CEO of chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), reveals that she falls into the category of executives who conduct business on weekends and have lengthy morning calls with executives to discuss memos sent after midnight, according to Time's report on Tuesday.

Su, 55, was named Time's 2024 CEO of the year, highlighting the remarkable growth of her company since she became CEO in 2014. Over the past decade, AMD's stock price has skyrocketed by nearly 50-fold, with Su transforming it into a dominant player in the industry, now positioned between Intel and Nvidia in terms of market capitalization.

Su believes that leaders are not born but trained, and her own career has been shaped by her determination and resilience.

"Setting ambitious goals is highly motivating," she stated. "The previous strategy of 'just do a little better here and there' is less motivational."

Despite the demanding schedules and long work hours of leaders and executives at AMD, the majority of the company's employees report having a "good work-life balance," according to over 400 reviews on Glassdoor. These reviews highlight a strong company culture and benefits package, but also mention "low compensation compared to Nvidia and Intel."

Glassdoor reviews show that Su has a 95% approval rating as AMD's CEO.

'If you want to do extraordinary things, it shouldn't be easy'

Jensen Huang, Nvidia CEO and Su's cousin, is known for being a tough boss and doesn't plan on changing his management style.

Huang is described as "demanding," a "perfectionist," and "not easy to work for" by employees at Nvidia's Santa Clara, California, headquarters, according to CBS News' "60 Minutes" in April. Huang himself agrees with these descriptions, stating on the show that they fit him perfectly.

Huang stated that to achieve extraordinary outcomes, it shouldn't be effortless.

The artificial intelligence industry is experiencing rapid growth, and both Nvidia and AMD are providing the necessary computer chips for companies to handle large amounts of AI training and processing. The pressure to perform is intense for AI professionals at companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, who feel they must quickly roll out new models with little time to learn about them, as reported by CNBC in May.

In 2020, CNBC Make It published an article by leadership researcher Rainer Zitelmann, who wrote that despite their employees' long work hours, tech CEOs are often admired for their commitment to advancing their companies and promoting growth.

In Microsoft's early days, Bill Gates was described by his employees as overbearing and a workplace bully. However, Gates was skilled at inspiring and motivating his staff to achieve a shared goal while allowing them to develop creatively, as Zitelmann wrote.

Microsoft, after becoming one of the world's largest companies, ultimately flourished. Gates, the founder of Microsoft, developed a sense of regret over his tough leadership style, which he shared with students at Northern Arizona University's commencement ceremony last year.

"Gates stated that when he was your age, he didn't believe in vacations, weekends, or the people he worked with taking time off. He advised not to wait as long as he did to learn this lesson and to prioritize nurturing relationships, taking breaks, and being understanding of those around you when they need it."

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