Eight insights from Elon Musk’s firing of Twitter employees
Image courtesy of Alexander Shatov on Unsplash
There is no question about Elon Musk’s right to, pretty much, do as he pleases with his property. That said, there are some powerful insights that can be drawn from recent events at Twitter, following Musk’s $44bn purchase of the social media platform.
Since the purchase, the public have been treated to something approaching decision-making on steroids. Students of disruptive change are being served a veritable smorgasbord of high drama. An eat as much as you like buffet, of what to and not to do.
Following his announcement that: “the bird is freed”, Musk acted quickly to reimagine his new acquisition, not with surgical instruments, but with blunt tools and blow torches. It is the Elon Musk show at Twitter and it is quickly becoming ‘box office’. For better or for worse, we all have a front row seat.
In the wake of what outwardly seems to be upheaval, Musk has either wittingly or unwittingly given us a view into his id and what a view it is. A means-justifying- ends ideology, appears to have been supplemented by battering-ram-like single-mindedness. Unsurprisingly, the casualties are piling up. Love him or hate him, you cannot ignore him.
As the richest man in the world, Musk is clearly not stupid. But is he wise? Looking at the recent sackings at Twitter, questions have been raised about his judgement and methods. Does he really approve of and endorse, the way in which his organisational restructure is being managed? Maybe so. But whether he does or not, set out below are eight insights to ponder.
1. Might should never make right
The sheer scope and scale of dismissals at Twitter, have garnered significant column inches and attracted criticism for their ruthlessness. That said, to the extent that any consideration was given to the furore that might ensue, Musk seems largely unphased by the fallout. If anything, he seems to be actively courting this kind of publicity as a kind of visible reminder, in case anyone missed it, that he is now the ‘Chief Twit’. Notwithstanding, Musk may be wilfully ignoring the fact that with great power comes even greater responsibility. Might should never make right. Whether it be in a global conglomerate, a government or a ma and pa corner store. When power is exercised, seemingly without constraint, it seldom ends well.
2. Leadership actions are statements of what you value as well as what you don’t
This is one of the most concerning aspects of recent events at Twitter. The manner of the firings appears to be a bold, brash and in-your-face statement of Elon Musk’s leadership values. That’s right. Like it or not, leadership values are an expression of what leaders do, not what they say. I doubt that anyone would critique Musk for deciding to make difficult decisions to safeguard the profitability of one of his prized assets (if that is what he is doing). However, it is the manner of what has been done, that speaks so concerningly about what his leadership values may be. Of these, empathy and compassion do not immediately come to mind and it is the absence of these, that may affect the quality and cadre of future recruits at the company, as well as his ability to retain the best of what is left.
3. Unfettered success is a ticking time-bomb
Elon Musk is an extraordinarily wealthy and successful businessman. Clearly, he has not purchased Twitter because he needs the money. Rather, the decision seems to have been reached for ideological and philosophical reasons. There is something fascinating about success, which is that: the more that is achieved, the more it feeds into a sense of invincibility. Success does that. Slowly, but eventually, accomplishments boost the ego and nourish the vanity. By itself, self-confidence is not a bad thing, but when a burgeoning ego leads to extremes of behaviour, that is not a good thing. When unfettered success fuels extremes of behaviour, the end result will be undesirable outcomes.
4. The potentially ‘chilling effect’ of disruptive change
What would you give to be a fly on the wall at Twitter headquarters, listening in to casual chatter around the water coolers? To be honest, it is highly unlikely that there would be too much chatter, because current events may well have created a ‘chilling effect’ amongst the workforce. For those that value their jobs, few would seriously want to put their heads above the parapet, by registering a protest. But that is not the worst of it, with a ‘chilling effect’, there is also the risk of the ‘curtain twitching’, where the vulnerable may see their best chance of survival as ‘snitching’ on the outspoken. There is a powerful lesson here for Musk’s Twitter, which is that organisations become successful because of their employees not in-spite of them.
5. Here come the yes men and women!
It seems somewhat inconceivable that the net effect of the recent Twitter sackings will be anything other than a compliant organisational culture. Is that what was intended? It is impossible to say, but that is almost certainly what will happen and if it does, then the seeds of Twitter’s eventual demise and Musk’s own departure, may have already been sown. Leaders who create echo chambers where employees are reticent or fearful to speak their minds, deprive themselves of the oxygenated air of a balanced argument. When leaders deny themselves the ‘room to breathe’, they suffocate themselves and others.
6. Dissociative decisiveness
It is highly commendable when a leader can demonstrate decisiveness, especially where people are an affected party. Decisiveness is indeed a very special skill, but the art of leadership decisiveness is the ability to make a decision, stick to it and be empathetic towards those impacted by it. Whilst Musk should be given credit for being decisive in his decision-making, it is not immediately apparent whether the dignity of and respect for, his employees, influenced his thinking. On the contrary, the impression given is one of dissociative decisiveness, where decisions are made with little regard to or for those affected.
7. The latent dangers of ‘lordship leadership’
There is absolutely nothing desirable about ‘lordship leadership’. At all times, leaders should be relatable and identifiable as such. Not just internally, but also externally. After all, if you are not relatable, how do you retain or attract top talent and how do you expect those who work for you, to be your ambassadors and advocates to those within internal and external? It could well be that Elon Musk is the most relatable of all leaders, but if recent events at Twitter are anything to go by, relatability is a talent that Musk is hiding under a bushel. Rather, the impression given is of someone whose leadership style owes more to showiness, impulse and performance art than any discernible leadership principles.
8. Toxicity ultimately destroys
If you break eggs, you will have the basic ingredients for an omelette, not a roast chicken. So it is, with work-place behaviour. If you as the leader set the tone, what do you expect others to do? Certain actions will predictably create a certain kind of organisational culture. Act with integrity and people will see you as authentic and when they see you as authentic, they will trust you, even when they disagree with you. However, if you are erratic, your employees will see you as unreliable and untrustworthy. Worst of all, to the extent that leadership behaviours are a permission slip for others, the cumulative effect of unreliable leadership is organisational dysfunction.
Elon Musk has put down a significant chunk of change to buy Twitter and it is obvious that he has no intention of being a back seat proprietor. This is more than just an expensive new toy for him to play with, this is fundamentally about him. It is personal. Musk is not just re-moulding the social media platform in his image but doing so, as visibly and volubly as he can. Doubtless, the expectation is that under his stewardship, Twitter will become as successful, if not more so, than his other high-profile ventures. Why would he believe otherwise? But there are some genuine risks here. In the world of Elon Musk, the expectation is that everything trails in his wake. When that is your Plan A, there can be no Plan B.
