El Elon Musk’s latest leaked internal email to Tesla employees has once again brought his management philosophy to the forefront: direct communication, elimination of bureaucracy, and a declared war on wasted time.
Far from being just a list of tips, the six rules of the magnate reflect a radically pragmatic view of how a company should operate—especially in fast-paced sectors like electric vehicles, space exploration, or AI. Though Musk’s style may seem extreme, his approach shares commonalities—and notable differences—with other innovation giants like Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, or Satya Nadella.
1. Avoid Large Meetings
Musk’s View: He believes that meetings with too many attendees hinder debate, foster defensiveness, and dilute responsibility. They should only occur if they provide real value to everyone involved.
Comparison: Steve Jobs, known for his minimalist meetings, had an unwritten rule: never more than a dozen people, all with clear roles. Jeff Bezos applied his famous two pizza rule: if two pizzas can’t feed the group, the meeting is too big.
2. Leave Meetings if You Contribute Nothing
Musk’s View: “Leaving a meeting isn’t rude; wasting others’ time is.” His stance is that presence without contribution is a burden.
Comparison: Jobs rarely tolerated passivity; if someone wasn’t contributing, they were often asked to leave. Bezos, on the other hand, tended to prevent unproductive attendees from being invited in the first place.
3. Skip the Chain of Command
Musk’s View: Hierarchy shouldn’t be a bottleneck. He encourages employees to communicate directly with the person who can solve the problem, bypassing intermediaries.
Comparison: Bezos also supports direct channels of communication but within a structured framework to prevent chaos. Satya Nadella promotes cross-functional communication but emphasizes transparency and formal documentation to avoid duplication.
4. Be Clear, Not Clever
Musk’s View: He rejects unnecessary jargon or technical complicity. Communication should be concise, direct, and easy to understand—centered on being effective rather than appearing intelligent.
Comparison: Jobs was a master at simplifying complex ideas for everyone—from engineers to customers. Nadella follows a similar approach, using clear language to align global teams.
5. Eliminate Recurring Meetings
Musk’s View: Routine meetings often become unproductive rituals. They should disappear once the issue that caused them is resolved. He prefers resolving issues via email, instant messaging, or collaborative tools.
Comparison: Bezos is known for starting meetings with a written memo read in silence, reducing superfluous discussions. Jobs favored punctual, focused meetings with no fixed cadence.
6. Use Common Sense
Musk’s View: Don’t follow internal rules blindly if they don’t make sense or add value. The priority is the outcome, not protocol.
Comparison: Jobs would break rules if he believed it sped up innovation. Bezos, while pragmatic, tends to keep certain processes rigid to ensure scalability.
Converging and Diverging Philosophies
Musk shares with Jobs an obsession with speed and simplicity, but he takes it to the extreme—cultivating a culture of immediate action and constant norm questioning. In alignment with Bezos, Musk avoids unnecessary meetings and advocates direct communication, though he’s less structured than Bezos. Compared to Nadella, the difference is clearer: the Microsoft CEO balances efficiency with corporate processes, while Musk favors the quickest shortcut that works.
These principles can be invaluable for startups or companies needing rapid movement but are harder to implement in large organizations with complex structures and regulatory responsibilities.
FAQs
1. Are Musk’s rules applicable to any company?
They work well for small or fast-growing companies. In large firms, some adaptation may be necessary to maintain control and traceability.
2. What similarities exist between Musk and Steve Jobs in management?
Both focus obsessively on efficiency, short meetings, and small teams with clear roles.
3. Why does Musk promote bypassing the chain of command?
It speeds up communication and decision-making—key for competitiveness in his view.
4. How does Jeff Bezos avoid unproductive meetings?
He uses the two pizza rule and starts with structured memos for all to read beforehand.
Source: Redes Sociales News