Ray Zinn: Why Repeating the Same Mistake Is the Real Failure in Leadership

Ray Zinn—longtime CEO of Micrel Semiconductor and the longest-serving CEO of a publicly traded company in Silicon Valley history—doesn’t believe the real problem is making mistakes.

He believes the real failure is repeating the same mistake without fixing it.

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In this episode of My Favorite Mistake, Ray shares leadership lessons from nearly four decades running Micrel, including why popular slogans like “fail fast, fail often” can actually normalize bad habits, how leaders unintentionally punish learning, and what it takes to build a culture focused on honesty, accountability, and fast problem-solving instead of blame.

Ray also reflects on how losing his eyesight in his late 50s fundamentally changed the way he led—forcing him to listen more deeply, trust others more fully, and become a more empathetic leader. Those experiences shaped his approach to leadership and his latest book, The Essential Leader.

If you care about learning from mistakes, building strong cultures, and leading without fear or ego, this conversation will challenge—and sharpen—your thinking.