“Don’t be confident and wrong.”

Walter Isaacson, the renowned biographer of giants, has published a biography of Elon Musk, one of the most controversial figures of our time. Musk's biography offers tremendous lessons, but it is not a how-to guide, warns the author. Here are some of the lessons that illuminated me most:

Walter Isaacson's biographies of giants, including Elon Musk and Steve Jobs, reveal how some people thrive despite a terrible childhood. This is a worthy topic for those who work on youth development.

Elon Musk had embraced the age-old principle of "know thyself."

The "Musk Algorithms" summarize process management/re-engineering in five or six bullet points, a topic I will return to later.

‘Skip-level’ meetings or his management style in general contributes to his success. One can further explore its relevance to her/his context.

Peter Drucker, the management guru, taught that humanistic and participative leadership are essential pillars of modern leadership, distinguishing it from the times of Henry Ford. However, Musk's lack of empathy, shared by Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos, is a common theme in the book.

A sense of urgency or having a “maniacal sense of urgency” as some would like to put it is not new to leadership and management; what might be different and unique is the sheer force and commitment put to use by Musk.

I was prompted to write this brief note by Elon Musk's principle: "don't be confident and wrong." Recent reports and news releases in Ethiopia show a disregard for this advice, highlighting the country's current political predicament and leadership peril. This is a typical trait of despotic leaders with grandiose views of themselves, who ignore their advisors and friends only to learn that their inaction or commission costs lives and billions of dollars.

"It is impossible to live without making mistakes, but it is foolish to make the same one twice."

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