Dear Elon

Dear Elon,

Today's workplace is a plethora of complex and nuanced challenges. As leaders, building a harmonious workforce emotionally invested in the company's success is not always easy.

Yet, the company positioned for long-term success, even amid market headwinds, is focused on getting results by aligning with its most important resource, its people.

Despite what many leaders who are myopically focused on the bottom line believe, the only way to get the success they so desperately want is through the team. In other words, the team is the way.

"Going forward, to build a breakthrough Twitter 2.0 and succeed in an increasingly competitive world, we will need to be extremely hardcore."

That brings us to an important consideration. Today's workforce is not the same as it was ten years ago. Or even three years ago. There are distinct characteristics that separate this workforce.

1. They value inclusion. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential for helping teams gain perspective, provide broader opportunities, spur innovation, and more. However, inclusion for leaders also includes co-creating products, services, and solutions. It means bringing important voices to the table and listening to various perspectives. The people doing the work are the x-factor. They can keep us on track and out of trouble when we include their views as we build the plan.
2. They expect respect. In the past, the command and control leadership style seemed to work. More likely is that employees were not fully aware of their collective strength. Today's workforce is not built to do what they are told. They are constructed to exercise curiosity, challenge systems and processes that don't make much sense, voice opinions that may not be popular, and more.
3. They want flexibility. The pandemic has proven that employees and teams can be happy, healthy, and productive in flexible working conditions. There is more than one way to accomplish a task and achieve an outcome. Everyone knows this. Saying otherwise does not make it so.
4. They have options. The great resignation, quiet quitting, and other anti-work trends are not about anti-work. They are statements that employees value working conditions that allow them to show up and do their best work. These conditions include the ability to work hard while still having a life. "Extremely hardcore" working conditions are not going to inspire the best.

I realize that a person of your stature running an organization such as Twitter will need time a acclimate. Most leaders in your position employ multiple coaches that can act as thought partners as you work through the many challenges you inherited at twitter.

According to the workplace app Blind, which verifies employees through their work email addresses, of 180 respondents, 42% opted for the "Taking exit option, I'm free!" This was after your email, widely viewed as an ultimatum. It included, "Going forward, to build a breakthrough Twitter 2.0 and succeed in an increasingly competitive world, we will need to be extremely hardcore."

When faced with "long hours at high intensity" or taking "three months of severance," many employees choose the latter. This was after laying off half of the company's 7,500 workers earlier this month.

Times are tough. We get it. But...

Elon, "C'mon Man!"

I have so many questions. What culture are you creating? Are you "blowing this up" with the goal of re-installing a healthier workplace, or are you setting the stage for a command-and-control style of leadership? What does leadership mean to you, and why should anyone follow you? What are other ways this could be handled? Have you mapped out the strategic vision with your leadership team? What and who will get you there? What is your company vision statement? Who are you as an organization, and what values will you live by?

One of my favorite sayings is, "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should."

Telling your team to accept extremely hardcore conditions suggest a lack of leadership skill and innovation. In fact, this is precisely the toxic workplace employees are pushing back against.

While I'm certainly not on the inside and don't pretend to know all of the nuances involved, there are so many ways to navigate complex business challenges that don't erode confidence and culture. There are ways to reduce the workforce while honoring the service of every person in your employment. Help your team rise above the grind. The elevation and change in perspective can lift your entire team.

In closing, people are the way. They are the way to the results you want. In difficult situations, always treat people well, and they will respond.

Ps: If you don't have an executive coach that can be a partner as you move forward, feel free to give me a call. I think we can work something out.

Rhonda Y. Williams