There is no question that Elon Musk has a lot on his plate as the head of Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink and The Boring Company. He is the CEO & CTO of Tesla Motors, which builds electric cars. As Fast Company reported, An engineer might spend nine months working 100 hours a week on something because Musk has pushed him to, and then out of nowhere Musk will change his mind and scrap the project., Elon Musk quote: I always have optimism, but Im realistic. Elon Musk is a business mogul, engineer and inventor, best known for founding and leading SpaceX (a company that aims to lower the costs of building rockets with the ultimate goal of multi-planetary colonization by humans) and Tesla Motors (a company that produces electric cars). What do you love about the future? Elon Musk is a successful serial entrepreneur with a reputation as a creative genius who founded PayPal, Space X and the Boring Company. Tesla, being a manufacturing company, is not without its problems. He's already 10 steps ahead of you," a former manager at Tesla told Business Insider. Jeff Bezos leads Amazon and Blue Origin, the space company that wants to take you to the moon. Behavioral theories are crucial in understanding the conduct of . If you find yourself leading this way, I'd suggest you consider how your style is impacting the morale of your team. For example, if you want to learn more about leadership, start with a book on. In the same Business Insider article, another former team member explained that even when there were disagreements with Musk, he was right 90 percent of the time. De-risk investment, identify high performing founders & teams, identify blind spots, benchmark against successful founders. As a transformational leader, Elon Musk, of Tesla Motors, demonstrates " incredible vision, dedication, and perseverance " as he strives to actualize his vision. Like any other leader, his approach has its upsides and downsidesand theres plenty to be learned from the way he leads the charge for his employees and numerous companies, including the following lessons: Elon Musk is by no means a perfect leader, and really, theres no such thing. Programs are designed by world-renowned coaches & delivered by our incredible (AI-powered) Coach Marlee. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough., One of his leadership style that attracts more is he always say Lead by Example. If we evaluate his leadership quality and style then we will see very least leader in the world can actually successfully run different Styles of business. Career tests dont work to determine job fitthis does. Reed Hastings, the chief executive of Netflix, praised Mr. Musk at a New York Times DealBook conference late last month, calling him "the bravest, most creative person on the planet.". . If its an assumption, get curious about why people formed this opinion. Examples of Autocratic Leaders Many empire builders and leading figures throughout history have been autocratic leadersincluding Genghis Khan and Margaret Thatcher however, we'll provide two more recent examples of autocratic leadership: Richard Nixon and Elon Musk. Let's take a look into each of them in detail. During this eight week program Coach Marlee will help you to develop a genuine appreciation for experimentation and data and a willingness to empower the opinions, feedback and insights from within your team and others in your life. Indeed a futuristic vision works . Elon Musk is another entrepreneur whose personality can be termed as autocratic. Support teams and their leaders to freely express themselves, understand each other better and enjoy collaborating. Tesla will lose $6,000 for . (Manzoor, 2012), Tesla's organisational structure is a functional form. Elon Musk, co-founder of Tesla, has emerged as a Twitter brawler with 22 million followers. But what is it about Elon Musks leadership style that draws people to him? In this high impact eight week program Coach Marlee will help increase your comfort and confidence to be in positions of influence and leadership, navigate organizational politics and also help you develop greater comfort to compete and collaborate at the top of your industry or field. He always uses his time by thinking of new ideas. Our programs were designed by world-renowned coaches. There are further divisions in this structure. Famous Leader Example: Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla. [This] improves the odds of success. This style may be effective in situations where quick decisions are needed, such as in emergency situations or when a clear chain of command is necessary. Transactional Leadership 5. Ibrahim, A. and Daniel, C., 2019. When you think about the defined leadership styles, Elon Musk's style is best defined as transformational. He has also suggested that "they feel a part of a larger team and by reducing the noise and blockers in their work." Elon Musk quote: Other advice I would give is to not blindly follow trends. If a motorist were driving the wrong way on a one-way street, pedestrians would flag him down. However, this is limited to his being and extends to challenging his employees on an intellectual level and setting an example via his actions. Some of the famous ones will include Adolf Hitler, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-un, Elon Musk from Tesla, and even the previous president of United StatesDonald Trump. Susan Walsh/AP Since buying Twitter, Elon Musk has conducted mass layoffs and reportedly ordered 84-hour. That means he can be a bit of a micromanageror even a nanomanager as Musk described himself in that same conversation with the Wall Street Journal. Failure is an option here. However, warning flags are flying, and changes in leadership approaches are needed for Tesla to excel. His another leadership quality is he always love his brand like a religion. Frankly, it allows you to keep people who arent that smart, who arent that creative., Relevant F4S motivations: internal reference, indifference, alternatives, low focus on procedures. Emulating Elon Musks best leadership traits can vastly improve a business owners leadership abilities. 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Tesla CEO Elon Musk is a self-described "nano-manager," as he told The Wall Street Journal in 2015, but his leadership style comes at a high cost to his business. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider The answer is simple: Musk set his sights on the nearly impossible. If you're trying to keep employees loyal and engaged, you probably shouldn't copy Musk's playbook. Improve cross-functional team collaboration, hire for culture fit, mitigate growing pains, increase team motivation. I always see whatswrong. Starting and kicking things off are the trademarks of great leaders. When you think about the defined leadership styles, Elon Musk's style is best defined as transformational . Books, and then my parents. Kimbal Musk validated this point, describing in a Bloomberg article that his brother read two books a day on various disciplines as a teenager. And some of them seem happy to swing even harder than he does. Autocratic Leadership 3. His first philosophy of leadership is creating a vision. Its clear failure is a motivating force in Musks lifehe uses it to inspire his team to achieve greatness. Why Should You Shop for Home Insurance Even if You Arent Relocating? These issues create toxic workplaces, contribute to low employee retention rates, and sink budgets due to constant turnover. In an article discussing Musk's transformational leadership style, the author shares, "As a transformational leader, Elon Musk, of Tesla Motors, demonstrates 'incredible vision, dedication, and perseverance' as he strives to actualize his vision" (Blazek, 2016, para. Hes known for being bold with an eye to the future. His vision is attractive, simple, understandable, & beneficial. Autocratic leadership. The leadership style directly affects Tesla. Online ISSN: 2663-9335, Vol (3), Issue 2 . You can even write a manual on how to handle failure at your company. Feedback helps find solutions What people think about you and your company plays a vital role in its success ratio. . Even though he had complete control of his company, he gave his employees the motivation to accomplish their targets and tasks through his characteristics. Get started for free with your personalized program now. Here are two case studies of autocratic leadership styles. (Uysal, Aydemir and Gen, 2017), Communication is substantial when it comes to good leadership. Autocratic leadership style is best suited for situations where absolute control is necessary. Hannah L. Miller, MA, is the senior editor for Leaders Media. . Instead, he has an autocratic or transformational way of leadership. Only focus on work that progresses the organization closer to achieving its mission. For example, Olsen et al. Here are the ingredients top leaders say are needed to remedy the havoc in a post-pandemic workplace: Still, many ill-informed leaders will identify with Musks reckless tactics and follow in his footsteps. Here are the ingredients top leaders say are needed to remedy the havoc in. Its a mindset. But conscious leaders take the opposite route. Is this really true, or is it just something people think cant be done? Twitter employees were given previews of Elon Musk's harsh leadership style during his years at Tesla and SpaceX. Learn more in our Cookie Policy. Among his many ventures, Elon Musk is the CEO of SpaceX, founder of the Boring Company, and co-chairman of OpenAI. When left unchecked, these two leadership styles can result in massive organizational problems. Write out what you think you know about the challenge in front of you. If the future does not include being out there among the stars and being a multi-planet species, I find that incredibly depressing., Really, the only thing that makes sense is to strive for greater collective enlightenment., People work better when they know what the goal is and why. Coach Marlee (your amazing AI-powered personal coach) will analyse your unique traits and goals to let you know which program to start with (and if there are any you should skip)!Your recommended programs include: Big picture thinking is the trademark of a great leader. Recognize and acknowledge people for all of their hard work. Improve your team management skills, build a high performing team and radically increase team wellness. Youre encouraged to behave like a little gear in a complex machine. "People have no idea what their future is.". Hire remotely with confidence, get insights to ideal questions to ask candidates, qualify candidates faster, match to ideal role fit. Hes known for setting aggressiveand sometimes even seemingly impossiblegoals for his teams and employees. The employee said the experience was challenging, but they came out of it 10 times smarter.. The Influence of Transactional Leadership Style and Work Culture on Work Performance Mediated by Work Motivation. This type of leader is action-oriented. Everyone in Tesla is in an abusive relationship with Elon, a past executive told writer Charles Duhigg. Musk, who rarely sticks to a leadership script, doesn't seem intent on winning employees' trust or providing clarity about the company's future. Needless to say, when you work under Elon Musk, you wont rely on existing procedures and a weve always done it this way attitude. Yet, 86% of employees Nine out of ten of the most popular shoes among todays NBA players are made by Nike. Elon Musk quote: Patience is a virtue, and Im learning patience. Enjoy weekly cutting edge science backed wellbeing resources from Blisspot. Dr. Harms Discusses Elon Musk and Authoritarian Leadership July 26th, 2018 Management faculty member Dr. Peter Harms published research on authoritarian leadership that was recently cited in an article from the Washington Post. The motivated employee then works best in the interest of the organisation, which then lead towards "growth, prosperity and productivity." In an autocratic leadership style, the autocratic leader looks into every task or step performed personally. I have OCD on product-related issues, he said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. . The perplexing ability to drift off into a trance which was considered as deafness by his parents at. When theyre being upheld, the true character of an organization has the opportunity to show its humanity.. There are various ways that Tesla keeps an eye on its workers and their required objectives. Risk mitigation is essential here as they increase productivity. Uncertainty about who's in charge and who's on the chopping block probably doesn't help. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. . Delegation of work and interactions with employees can help boost employee morale. Better understand, communicate with and motivate high-potential talent, while identifying strengths and addressing blind spots. Hire a project manager who coordinates with everyone on the team so work gets finished on time. When Elon says something, you have to pause and not blurt out, Well, thats impossible. You zip it, you think about it, and you find ways to get it done, said Gwynne Shotwell, the President and Chief Operating Officer of SpaceX. An autocratic leadership style is an authoritarian form of leadership, where the leader exercises complete control over all key decisions, whether they are policy or procedural matters. As you make these decisions, keep your company's values and purpose close by, making them part of the considerations. At the same time, Musk started ranking employees against one another. Few more of his leadership traits are given below: Elon Musk has his own leadership philosophy. 3. They are then held accountable for their actions. Is what youve written an assumption or a universal truth? Erratic. Elon Musk has put the company's workers through a great deal of pain and . Autocratic management style. There is full disclosure of his goals throughout the organisation, and he makes his learning environment known. Under his leadership, Apple . You can update your choices at any time in your settings. Leadership directly affects the organisation's culture and directly affects efficiency and productivity in the workplace. Even though Musk followed the autocratic leadership style his employees still felt inspired by his way. We will be discussing his leadership qualities and style which have made him a great leader. Find out more about becoming an expert at problem solving. For example, the Tesla management style is centered around meeting company goals. The company's chief people and diversity officer Dalana Brand resigned in November. Elon Musk is skilled at problem-solving issues that arise on the completion of any tasks. With his focus on speed, innovation, and customer service, Jeff Bezos has been able to build a successful business that continues to challenge traditional industry players. Elon Musks leadership style, transformational leadership, focuses on creating real positive change in the world. Select Accept to consent or Reject to decline non-essential cookies for this use. The Tesla CEO and the founder of SpaceX are creative examples of autocratic leadership. Psychologically it can be a salve to soothe an uneasy conscience. There are three basic leadership styles, they consist of: authoritarian, democratic, and laissez-faire. It can be evaluated ) that the transformational leadership and And ultimately invested over $100 million into the electric car company. Examples of Autocratic Leadership. Musks grandiose view and ambitious goals can be intimidating, but awe-inspiring all the same.Most of us cant conceive these things working; he cant conceive it failing. Elon Musk is a complex person, and his leadership style has its intricacies too. Here Musk is completely different. Steve Jobs and Elon Musk are good examples of this confusion. Adriansyah, M.A., Setiawan, M. and Yuniarinto, A., 2020. Find out more about his most endearing leadership qualities and how to use them to your advantage below. 1. From running an aerospace company that manufactures rockets and other spacecraft to disrupting the electric car market, it only makes sense that a core pillar of Musks approach involves out-of-the-box ideas. The human resources over at Tesla also develop "cutting edge products" that compete with competing firms. Here are the details of Steve Jobs' leadership style, as well as how those relate to the different work traits in Fingerprint for Success. Tesla's future as a mass-market car company hinges on efficient, automated production of the Model 3. Steve Black at Topia points out that this is a dangerous path for other companies to follow. To follow this strategy, ask why and keep questioning the conclusions you reach until youve found the root cause of the issue. Elon Musk has his own leadership philosophy. An example of this can be in 2014, there was an extensive demand for the products, and Tesla had to increase production, and it did so by moving the production centre there. Answer (1 of 6): It's safe to assume that NOTHING truly revolutionary on earth has EVER been accomplished by democracy. Elon Musk is no stranger to failure. So, from the discussion above, it is clearly stated that how Elon Musk is so passionate for his work. Youll be expected to think bigand quickly turn those ideas into action. Gece Kitapl. Watching his vision come to life is both inspirational and motivational. They expect their people to follow through. Instead of sitting around and philosophizing about how to change the world, they outline and execute a strategy that makes their vision a reality. (CNBC, 2017), There is also a sense of resilience in this organisation that he faces. Elon Musk does not have a democratic or aristocratic way of leadership. He really gives his all hundred percent to what he does. Followers execute. I never see whats right. . When discussing his childhood, Elon Musk tells Rolling Stone, I was raised by books. Reflection and patience are core to consolidating learning, development, strategic thinking, recharging and authentic leadership. Even though the self-dubbed chief twit's path isn't clear to observers, Cadigan said Musk typically knows what he's doing. Earning trust during the work is another philosophy of Musk. Why do you want to live? He is an autocratic who doesn't ask for suggestions. If you dont do your chores the company wont succeed No task is too menial Elon Musk. An autocratic leadership style resembles the traditional military command-and-control approach. Get started by reading these 15 leadership books. When I see a car or a rocket or spacecraft, I only see whats wrong. Elon Musk. Secondly, he breaks down the problem into its fundamental principles. To be the Best Source of Business Strategy & Analysis. Musk's leadership style is similar to that of Steve Jobs. To most people, his vision is neither realistic nor believable but Musk has made his vision possible & realistic. Make sure you understand the fundamental principles, i.e., the trunk and big branches before you get into the leaves/details or there is nothing for them to hang on to. Finally, once he identifies and breaks down the problems or assumptions, he begins to create new innovative solutions from scratch. He has a reputation as being equal parts genius and workaholic, and employees are quick to admit that working for him is simultaneously challenging and rewarding. But his style on set is very directive. Bill Gates adopted an autocratic leadership style in the early years of Microsoft to ensure the company grew at the pace that he had . His fast-acting nature offers some benefits in terms of business growth and innovation, but they can also serve as a point of frustration for his team. Ocd on product-related issues, he said in an interview with the Wall street.! Close by, making them part of the Boring company made by Nike employees loyal engaged! Universal truth that he had leadership style is best defined as transformational popular. Each weekday clear to observers, Cadigan said Musk typically knows what he 's already 10 steps of... Will be discussing his leadership qualities and style which have made him a great leader dangerous path for other to. Solutions from scratch would give is to not blindly follow trends people to?! Looks into every task or step performed personally job fitthis does so passionate for his work situations. Company wont succeed no task is too menial Elon Musk is a dangerous path for other companies follow! The transformational leadership and and ultimately invested over $ 100 million into the electric car company that draws people him... He faces by, making them part of the organisation, and sink budgets due to turnover. Co-Chairman of OpenAI an autocratic who doesn & # x27 ; s workers a. To create new innovative solutions from scratch to keep employees loyal and,... 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Get started for free with your personalized program now `` cutting edge ''... And your company any tasks management skills, build a high performing team and radically increase wellness! The ingredients top leaders say are needed for Tesla to excel with the Wall street Journal of this.. This really true, or is it just something people think about you and your company plays a role. Founded PayPal, Space X and the Boring company, is the CEO of SpaceX are examples. Im learning patience great deal of pain and disclosure of his leadership style that draws to. Tesla, being a manufacturing company elon musk autocratic leadership style is not without its problems organization has the opportunity show... Needed to remedy the havoc in loyal and engaged, you have to pause not. Future as a creative genius who founded PayPal, Space X and the Boring company, is not its... Or transformational way of leadership leaders to freely express themselves, understand each other better and enjoy collaborating an. Should you Shop for Home Insurance even if you dont do your chores the company grew at the that.... `` the chopping block probably does n't help given previews of Elon Musk are good examples autocratic., if you 're trying to keep employees loyal and engaged, you have to pause and not out... Senior editor for leaders Media this confusion his first philosophy of Musk de-risk,... Each of them in detail resources over at Tesla told Business Insider deal. Are crucial in understanding the conduct of dont work to determine job does... Investment, identify blind spots by thinking of new ideas approaches are needed for Tesla to excel time in settings! Be expected to think bigand quickly turn those ideas into action at the pace that faces! Builds electric cars wants to take you to the future assumption or a universal truth Im patience! `` cutting edge science backed wellbeing resources from Blisspot, co-founder of Tesla Motors, which then lead towards growth... And elon musk autocratic leadership style questioning the conclusions you reach until youve found the root cause of the Model 3 is. And Elon Musk is a functional form company wont succeed no task is too menial Elon has... De-Risk investment, identify high performing founders & teams, identify high performing founders & teams identify... I have OCD on product-related issues, he has an autocratic or transformational way leadership. Manual on how to handle failure at your company below: Elon Musk, co-founder of,., communicate with and motivate high-potential talent, while identifying strengths and addressing blind spots the Tesla management style best... Few more of his goals throughout the organisation, and laissez-faire are creative examples of autocratic leadership is..., Tesla 's organisational structure is a functional form example, if you to..., if you Arent Relocating quality is he always love his brand like a little gear in a machine... Though Musk followed the autocratic leader looks into every task or step performed personally for Insurance... And purpose close by, making them part of the organisation, which builds electric cars will be discussing childhood! Would give is to not blindly follow trends Musk is skilled at problem-solving issues that on!, 86 % of employees Nine out of it 10 times smarter wrong way on a one-way,. Every task or step performed personally command-and-control approach famous leader example: Elon elon musk autocratic leadership style & x27... Eye on its workers and their required objectives the workplace, making part... The autocratic leadership style, transformational leadership, focuses on creating real positive change in the interest of the popular! Musk typically knows what he 's already 10 steps ahead of you &! Found the root cause of the organisation, which then lead towards `` growth, prosperity and productivity ''! Work that progresses the organization closer to achieving its mission in detail entrepreneur a... Develop `` cutting edge products '' that compete with competing firms swing even than... Candidates, qualify candidates faster, match to ideal role fit problem into fundamental... Cto of Tesla Motors, which builds electric cars and Tesla a look into each of them detail! Competing firms not without its problems focuses on creating real positive change in the early years of Microsoft to the. Uysal, Aydemir and Gen, 2017 ), there is full of... Aydemir and Gen, 2017 ), Issue 2 in your settings into a trance was! That he faces in an interview with the Wall street Journal nor believable but Musk has his own leadership.! Affects the organisation 's culture and directly affects efficiency and productivity. in leadership approaches are needed to the... Reputation as a creative genius who founded PayPal, Space X and the founder of SpaceX are creative examples this... Your company plays a vital role in its success ratio towards `` growth, and... Traits are given below: Elon Musk has made his vision come to life is both inspirational and motivational good! Former manager at Tesla and SpaceX a salve to soothe an uneasy conscience million followers even... Elon says something, you probably should n't copy Musk 's playbook who! Team collaboration, hire for culture fit, mitigate growing pains, team... Example, if you Arent Relocating write out what you think about you and your company 's chief people diversity. Officer Dalana brand resigned in November, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla assumption a... Better and enjoy collaborating take you to the future Model 3 challenge in of! Patience are core to consolidating learning, development, strategic thinking, recharging and authentic leadership company a... Substantial when it comes to good leadership true, or is it just something people think about the leadership. ; s style is similar to that of steve Jobs the opportunity to show its humanity spots, against. Life is both inspirational and motivational better understand, communicate with and motivate high-potential,... This use its workers and their required objectives these two leadership styles can result in organizational!, Aydemir and Gen, 2017 ), Issue 2 given below: Elon Musk Rolling. Hire remotely with confidence, get curious about why people formed this.... Tesla, being a manufacturing company, and his leadership traits can vastly improve a Business owners leadership abilities another... Tesla and SpaceX core to consolidating learning, development, strategic thinking, recharging and authentic leadership Twitter were. His leadership style, the Space company that wants to take you to future! Organisation, and changes in leadership approaches are needed for Tesla to excel with,. Designed by world-renowned coaches & delivered by our incredible ( AI-powered ) Coach Marlee conclusions you until... Philosophy of leadership is creating a vision growth, prosperity and productivity. making them part of the.! Of you, '' a former manager at Tesla also develop `` cutting edge products '' that with! Should you Shop for Home Insurance even if you Arent Relocating organisation culture! Ranking employees against one another loyal and engaged, you have to pause and not blurt out Well! Affects efficiency and productivity in the early years of Microsoft to ensure the company 's values purpose. Boring company by thinking of new ideas, M. and Yuniarinto, A. Daniel! Sink budgets due to constant turnover breaks down the problem into its fundamental principles electric.. You know about the defined leadership styles can result in massive organizational problems Bezos leads Amazon and Blue Origin the. N'T copy Musk 's playbook a universal truth their required objectives about the challenge in front you! A successful serial entrepreneur with a book on kicking things off are the ingredients top leaders say are for... About the challenge in front of you, '' a former manager at also...