Elon Musk and Donald Trump have a tumultuous relationship, sometimes agreeing on certain issues, sometimes disagreeing on others, in a clash of egos where the winner is whoever has more power. And even though we’re talking about the President of the United States, Musk is not far behind when it comes to influence, so much so that it was Trump himself who called on him to lead the Government Efficiency Department.
Moreover, as the owner of X (formerly Twitter), Musk was able to achieve something positive for Trump’s presidential campaign on social media, ensuring that information reached a massive number of users. Data from Associated Press reveals that the billionaire spent around 200 million dollars supporting the current president, which we can consider a clear conflict of interest, but that’s a story for another article.
While speculation swirls about his possible departure from the government, I pause to reflect on his actions during this time. Setting aside the controversies to analyze only the professional aspect, I believe Musk could be a key player in any administration. But why? He’s someone with clear focus and direction, working primarily for results and managing to deliver them.
I believe this is the ideal way for any employee to work in a company, regardless of their role. Elon Musk has been part of different companies and operated in diverse sectors, gaining knowledge and experience to develop a broader and better understanding of any situation, enabling him to bring efficiency in the face of challenges. For example, the mass layoffs he carried out at X.
In this sense, I think perhaps he possesses hard skills that set him apart, along with the view that mistakes serve as lessons and that challenges push you to go further. After all, Elon Musk put an end to the ‘meme’ that a rocket doesn’t move in reverse by making it a reality at SpaceX. In other words, it’s a storyline that ensures his actions generate value over time through competence.
Here, I’m neither defending nor judging him—I’m simply pointing out how some actions of this controversial figure can be useful in management. Of course, Elon Musk makes mistakes, and one of the worst, in my opinion, was when he emailed all employees asking them to submit a list of their weekly accomplishments. This move bypassed all hierarchy, disrespecting people broadly.
Every company must learn to work with trust—otherwise, there will be no progress. There are other ways to assess how each team member’s work impacts and generates results for the company, without catching people by surprise. Leadership must be attentive to guide effectively, directing them where they need to go. He needed results—did he consider requesting them through the normal process from each leader? Would he have received answers in time?
In more serious situations, decisive action is required—sometimes, sending a message is more important than the action itself. It’s leadership’s responsibility to apply this when deemed appropriate. I don’t believe we have the evidence to judge whether it was appropriate or necessary. Many things happen behind the scenes. But we need to learn from these situations—whether to apply them in our own context or to decide they’re not the right approach.
You need an ‘Elon Musk’ in your management
