AMD CEO Lisa Su shares the advice from an IBM executive that convinced her to join a struggling company: ‘I was …’

AMD CEO Lisa Su revealed the piece of career advice she received as a young engineer at IBM that went on to shape her leadership style and career decisions. Speaking about her early years in the technology industry (via Benzinga), Su said an IBM executive encouraged her to stop avoiding difficult challenges and instead focus on solving the toughest problems. The advice stayed with her throughout her career and later influenced her decision to join AMD at a time when the chipmaker was struggling and facing questions about its future.

IBM advice that stayed with AMD CEO Lisa Su

Lisa Su said IBM executive John Kelly gave her advice that she still follows today. “I was given a piece of advice when I was a young engineer at IBM that has really stuck with me. Someone told me, ‘You should run toward problems,'” Su recalled in a profile published by Austin Woman.She added: “If you’re going to work on something, work on something that’s really important.”