UNTIL RECENTLY, ELON MUSK WAS THE RICHEST MAN ON EARTH. WITH A NET WORTH OF $176 BILLION. HE IS NOW THE SECOND RICHEST MAN ON EARTH, HAVING BEEN RECENTLY SURPASSED BY BERNARD ARNAULT, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF LVMH.
AS THE FOUNDER OF SPACE X, AS THE CEO OF TESLA, AND THE CEO OF TWITTER, ONE WOULD WONDER ABOUT SOME OF THE PRACTICES ELON MUSK ESTABLISHES IN HIS VARIOUS BUSINESSES IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE THEIR PRODUCTIVITY.
IN RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE, I CAME ACROSS FIVE GUIDELINES THAT MUSK ESTABLISHES IN HIS VARIOUS BUSINESSES TO ENHANCE THEIR RESULTS.
AVOIDANCE OF LARGE MEETINGS
ACCORDING TO MUSK, LARGE MEETINGS ARE GENERALLY A WASTE OF VALUABLE TIME AND ENERGY. HE FEELS THAT THEY DISCOURAGE DEBATE, AND THAT OFTEN PEOPLE ARE MORE GUARDED THAN OPEN IN SUCH MEETINGS. IN ADDITION, WITH LARGE MEETINGS HE SUGGESTS THAT THERE IS OFTEN NOT ENOUGH TIME FOR EVERYONE TO CONTRIBUTE. THEREFORE, HE RECOMMENDS THAT LARGE MEETING NOT BE SCHEDULED UNLESS ONE IS CERTAIN THAT THEY WILL PROVIDE VALUE TO EVERYONE.
HE ALSO SUGGESTS THAT FREQUENT MEETINGS ARE ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO WASTE EVERYONE’S TIME. HE RECOMMENDS THAT MEETINGS SHOULD ONLY BE SET TO COLLABORATE, ATTACK ISSUES HEAD ON, OR TO SOLVE URGENT PROBLEMS. BEYOND THAT, HE DEMANDS THAT LEADERS IN HIS VAROUS ENTERPRISES NOT INTERRUPT THEIR TEAM’S WORKFLOW UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY
EMPLOYEES ARE ADVISED TO REQUEST THAT THEY BE EXCUSED FROM UNNECESSARY MEETINGS
MUSK STATES THAT IF A MEETING DOES NOT REQUIRED AN EMPLOYEES INPUT, OR IF THE MEETING DOES NOT PROVIDE THE EMPLOYEE WITH VALUE, THAT THE EMPLOYEE SHOULD QUESTION WHETHER THEIR ATTENDANCE IS NECESSARY.
FORGET THE CHAIN OF COMMAND
ELON SUGGESTS THAT ONE COMMUNICATE WITH COLLEAGUES DIRECTLY, AND NOT THROUGH SUPERVISORS/MANAGERS. ACCORDING TO MUSK, FAST COMMUNICATION RESULTS IN FASTER DECISIONS, AND FASTER DECISIONS CAN RESULT IN A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE.
BE CLEAR, NOT CLEVER
MUSK RECOMMENDS THE NONSENSE WORDS AND TECHNICAL JARGON BE ELIMINATED, AS IT SLOWS DOWN COMMUNICATION. HE ADVISES TO CHOOSE WORDS THAT ARE CONCISE, TO THE POINT, AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND. HE ALSO ADVISES EMPLOYEES NOT TRY TO SOUND SMART, BUT RATHER TO FOCUS ON OPERATING WITH EFFICIENCY.
USE COMMON SENSE
ELON STATES THAT ANY RULE THAT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE OR DOES NOT CONTRIBUTE TO PROGRESS SHOULD BE ELIMINATED. HE URGES THE AVOIDANCE OF FOLLOWING RULES WITH EYES CLOSED.
IN CONCLUSION, WHILE FOLLOWING THESE RULES MAY NOT RESULT IN OUR JOINING THE RANKS OF THE RICHEST PEOPLE ON EARTH, THEY WILL DEFINITELY INCREASE THE PRODUCTIVITY OF OUR EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS THAT OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS.