Working for Elon Musk: Ex-Employees Reveal His Management Strategy | WSJ

Summary

Elon Musk's intense and demanding management style, honed at Tesla and SpaceX, is being applied to Twitter. Known for rallying employees around ambitious missions and pushing for 'hardcore' work hours, Musk's approach has led to high productivity but also exhaustion and turnover. His leadership, characterized by direct communication and a focus on top talent, has faced challenges as he reshapes Twitter's mission and workforce, aiming for a leaner, more efficient company in a competitive social media landscape.

Takeaways

• 🗣️ Elon Musk is known for his intense and demanding management style, expecting quick and concise communication from his employees.
• ⏰ Musk's work schedule is notorious for including late-night texts and early morning calls, indicating a 24/7 work culture.
• ☕ Employees often have to prepare themselves for high-stress meetings with Musk, such as by consuming espressos to stay alert.
• 🕒 There is a '30-second rule' when presenting to Musk, underlining the need for brevity and directness in communication.
• 🚀 The mission of companies Musk leads, like SpaceX aiming for Mars colonization, is used to inspire and rally employees around a common goal.
• 🔧 At Twitter, Musk faces the challenge of aligning the company's mission with his vision, which may not be as universally motivating as space exploration.
• 💰 Musk is personally invested in his companies, having put significant personal funds into Tesla during a critical financial period.
• 🛌 Musk's dedication is exemplified by his willingness to sleep at the office and work long hours, setting an example for his employees.
• 🔪 Musk is known for making swift and significant cuts to the workforce, aiming to streamline operations and maintain a lean team.
• 🏆 Employees at Musk's companies often feel like they are part of an elite group, contributing to a 'special forces' mentality.
• 💼 Musk avoids traditional corporate hierarchies, preferring to communicate directly with employees working on projects of interest.
• 💼 Musk motivates his employees by tying their compensation to the company's performance, thus raising the stakes for everyone involved.

Q & A

What is the key to having a successful conversation with Elon Musk according to the script?

To have a successful conversation with Elon Musk, one must be concise and quick, as he values efficiency and directness in communication.

What is Elon Musk's management style like, as described by former employees?

Elon Musk's management style is described as intense, cutthroat, and tireless. He is known for demanding long hours and high levels of commitment from his employees.

How did Elon Musk approach the early days of his tenure at Tesla?

Elon Musk sent the company into crisis mode to jumpstart his vision for reinventing the auto industry, emphasizing a lofty mission and rallying employees around it.

What was the impact of Elon Musk's management style on Carl Medlock's experience at Tesla?

Carl Medlock was inspired by Tesla's mission and worked long hours, sometimes losing track of personal life, but he loved what he was doing. However, he was terminated in 2013 over a misunderstanding with his manager.

Why did Garrett Reisman join SpaceX and what was his experience like?

Garrett Reisman was inspired by SpaceX's mission to make human life multi-planetary and joined in 2011. He found the environment demanding but motivating, and he left in 2018 to teach at the University of Southern California, seeking a less intense work environment.

How does Elon Musk's approach to Twitter's mission compare to his approach at SpaceX?

While the mission at SpaceX is to colonize Mars, which is seen as dramatic and inspiring, Twitter's mission of protecting free speech is important but not as world-saving, which may affect employee motivation differently.

What does Elon Musk mean by 'hardcore' in the context of his work ethic?

By 'hardcore,' Elon Musk refers to working long hours, typically 80 to 100 hours a week, with high intensity, which he expects from himself and his employees.

How did Elon Musk's approach to work-life balance affect his employees?

Elon Musk's intense work ethic often led employees to sacrifice their personal lives, including family time, passions, and hobbies, in favor of their work at the company.

What was the subject of the email Elon Musk sent to his team when preparing to ramp up production of the Model S?

Elon Musk sent an email with the subject line 'Ultra hardcore,' signaling the need for an unprecedented level of intensity and commitment from his team.

How did Elon Musk's initial actions at Twitter affect the company's workforce?

Shortly after taking over Twitter, Musk laid off approximately 50% of the staff and many employees opted to leave rather than commit to his vision for the company.

What is Elon Musk's approach to corporate hierarchy and communication?

Elon Musk avoids traditional corporate hierarchy and prefers to communicate directly with employees working on projects that interest him, bypassing layers of management.

How does Elon Musk motivate his employees to work harder?

Elon Musk motivates his employees by raising the financial stakes, setting ambitious goals, and creating a sense of urgency to achieve the company's mission.

What challenges does Elon Musk face in transforming Twitter according to the script?

Elon Musk faces challenges such as rallying a large workforce, finding the right talent, and pivoting the company to a private entity amidst an uncertain economy and social media landscape.