Tough Things First

Why strong leadership doesn’t mean leading with power. In this Tough Things First podcast Ray Zinn offers some thoughts on why many organizational leaders get it wrong. Rob Artigo: Well, you recently wrote, Ray, “The essence of leadership is not the wielding of power, but rather the wielding of grace and nurturing.” This is in line with what you wrote […]

Is it true that you should trust but verify? In this Tough Things first podcast, Ray Zinn if you have to verify, there’s no trust involved. (Watch Video Podcast) Ray Zinn: Hey, Rob. Good to be with you today. Rob Artigo: Good to be back. Well, this is a special edition of The Tough Things First Podcast. It is a […]

Is the push for American Made an open door to a would be entrepreneur? In this Tough Things First podcast, Ray Zinn tells us how it could be done for those seeking the American Dream. Ray Zinn: Hi Rob. How’s it going today? Rob Artigo: Great. So with a nation, I feel like we’re in a mode of… There’s turmoil […]

Failure happens. But is it really a failure if you learn something valuable? In this Tough Things First podcast, Ray Zinn discusses how a few business failures paved the way to a massively successful semiconductor company. Rob Artigo: Here with me is Ray Zinn, the longest-serving CEO in Silicon Valley history. Being invited back is always great, Ray. Ray Zinn: […]

Working from home may have seemed like progress over hustle culture, but has it brought on something worse? Un-Hustle culture. In this Tough Things First podcast, Ray Zinn says one bad work ethic has led to a worse work ethic. Rob Artigo: Let’s talk about hustle culture. One of the soundbites we use in the intro for this podcast is… […]

The victim mentality is a psychological pattern where someone perceives themselves as a victim of circumstances, other people, or systems, often avoiding personal responsibility. In this Tough Things First podcast, Ray Zinn explains in detail why most people have victim mentality and how to escape the pattern. Ray Zinn: Hi Rob. Good to be with you today. Rob Artigo: Page […]

We all know change is inevitable, but layoffs can be devastating when you find your once secure job has vanished. In this Tough Things First podcast, Ray Zinn says don’t panic, just be prepared. Rob Artigo: Here with me again is Ray Zinn, the longest serving CEO in Silicon Valley history. Hi Ray. Ray Zinn: Hello Rob. Rob Artigo: You […]

What you need to know now. In this Tough Things First podcast Ray Zinn demystifies the troubled waters so we can all get it and look forward. Call it Part 1. Rob Artigo: Good to be back, Ray. Nice to see you. Thriving amid uncertainty and handling adversity. That’s what we’re talking about here in this podcast. 2025 has been […]

Do we live in a culture that promotes comparisons to others? Is it jealously, envy? In this Tough Things First podcast, Ray Zinn says keeping up with trends may be healthy, but keeping up with the Jones’s may be a problem. Rob Artigo: I recently read a quote where the writer said he had not met a person […]

You may have heard that a failure to plan is nothing more than a plan to fail. Ray Zinn puts his hard earned life experience out there and proves what you get if you fail to plan is a pipe-dream and surefire disappointment. Rob Artigo: Good to be back. You have a series of books. You have Zen of Zinn […]

A lifetime of leadership experience wrapped in an entertaining and informative read. Join Tough Things First for the official launch of The Essential Leader by Ray Zinn, 10 Skills, Attributes, and Fundamentals that Make Up The Essential Leader. (Watch the Video Podcast) Rob Artigo: I’m Rob Artigo, former Bay Area Radio Personality and your host for this edition of The […]

The question often heard is who will pick our produce under tighter immigration enforcement? Maybe the question that aught to be asked is when will humanoid robots be doing that job? In this Tough Things First podcast, Ray Zinn tells us the one constant is change. Ray Zinn: Hi, Rob. Rob Artigo: Well, I’ve heard this repeated frequently, and maybe […]

Competition is a wonderful and important aspect of success, but some people recoil in horror over how it forces them to be proactive. In this Tough Things First podcast, Ray Zinn explores the reasons why we need to embrace our competitive nature. (Video Podcast) Rob Artigo: Good to be back. This is a special edition of the podcast. It’s […]

What makes a good employee bury their face in their hands and under-perform? Ray Zinn says it’s not a mystery. Not to them. But to the leadership? Crickets. Rob Artigo: Ray, got this message from you the other day, I love this story you told, about recently going to get some medical tests. And you met some medical techs […]

Success is often muted or even missed entirely over the fear of failure. In this Tough Things First podcast, Ray Zinn talks about the key factors involved in the Fear of Failure. Rob Artigo: Ray, another one of those nasty little things that get in the way of success is fear of failure. In your opinion, is the fear […]

Would be entrepreneurs often fret over, “is this the right time to start my business?” Maybe the real question gets ignore in the process. In this Tough Things First podcast, Ray Zinn explains the bigger question you must ask yourself and why “when” is hardly what matters most. Rob Artigo: Would-be entrepreneurs can often find themselves stuck before they even […]

In business self-assessment, few components are more important than identifying your customer. In this Tough Things First podcast, Ray Zinn discusses the elements of identifying your target customer and the obstacles to obtaining and retaining them. Rob Artigo: I caught a piece on a website called entrepreneur.com. It caught my attention for a couple of reasons, but I picked one […]

Sometimes we need to check with ourselves to see if we are positioned well for unforeseen troubles. In this Tough Things First podcast with Ray Zinn, has the keys to self-reliance. Rob Artigo: Good to be back. And I’ve got a copy of Zen of Zinn Two, one of your books here in front of me, and I flipped […]

The reemerging American semiconductor industry is a little nervous about what President Trump will do regarding the CHIPS and Science Act, but CNBC reports Trump is unlikely to roll it back. In this Tough Things First podcast, Ray Zinn says only a robust American chip sector can thwart Chinese power grab through chip dominance. Rob Artigo:…you ran Micrel as […]

A cognitive bias that occurs when someone overestimates their knowledge or abilities in a particular area can wreak havoc. In this Tough Things First podcast, Ray Zinn explores ways to avoid it. Rob Artigo: I had been looking around for different subject ideas and I came across a term called the Dunning-Kruger Effect. It’s about cognitive bias that occurs when […]