Guess Who’s Back with More Workplace Wisdom? Elon Musk Drops ‘Productivity Recommendations’ Bombshell on Employees!
When he’s not shaking up the social media world by privatizing likes on X, Elon Musk is busy dispensing some unique workplace wisdom to his Tesla team—advice that’s sparking plenty of chatter across the web.
A sneak peek into Musk’s managerial mind was caught when a screenshot of an email he allegedly sent was shared on X last year.
In the leaked screenshot, Musk praises his team for a job well done this quarter, emphasizing a crucial mantra about maintaining ‘unwavering integrity’ at Tesla. What follows next is classic Musk—direct and unconventional.
In his sign-off, Musk leaves behind six ‘productivity recommendations’ for his staff. One standout tip? He advises them to ‘walk out of a meeting or drop off a call’ if it’s not adding value.
Musk argues it’s perfectly fine to exit a meeting abruptly if you’re not contributing—staying would only waste everyone’s time. Ouch.
But wait, there’s more. Musk’s email doesn’t just stop at meetings.
He also rails against the corporate culture of endless, large gatherings, advising: “Excessive meetings are the blight of big companies and almost always get worse over time. Please get [out] of all large meetings, unless you’re certain they are providing value to the whole audience in which case keep them very short.”
Urgent matters only should warrant frequent meetings, he adds.
Musk also takes a stand against obfuscating jargon: “Don’t use acronyms or nonsense words for objects, software, or processes at Tesla. In general, anything that requires an explanation inhibits communication.”
He advocates for simplicity and directness in communication, warning managers off enforcing rigid hierarchical communication paths. “Communication should travel via the shortest path necessary to get the job done. Any manager who attempts to enforce chain of command communication will soon find themselves working elsewhere,” he writes.
Musk is all for the ‘free flow of information between all levels’—urging direct interactions and immediate action.
The leak quickly spurred debates on X among netizens, with reactions ranging from supportive to skeptical.
Comments poured in, with one user voicing concerns about disregarding traditional chains of command: “Disregarding the chain of command can be disastrous though.”
Meanwhile, another exclaims: “I absolutely abhor meetings! I agree completely with all but #4, which I agree with some.”
A cautious yet humorous suggestion from another reads: “Warm suggestion: don’t breach #4 without a ridiculously good reason.”
Musk didn’t shy away from the conversation, chiming in with a tweet that endorses especially the final point of his email.