Is Elon Musk Truly the Greatest Leader Ever? Uncovering the Key Criteria of Successful Leadership

Our deputy managing director, Laura Lear , was working on a UK PR pitch for Twitter when Elon Musk took over in 2022. Contacts left overnight and it was just the start of what has been a turbulent time for the now named X. Here she explores Musk's role as a leader and what it takes to be a good one.

Leadership – the good, the bad and the ugly is a much-debated topic; from the great political and country leaders, historic kings and queens, through to business innovators and disruptors.?

Today, it is often said that Elon Musk is one of the best leaders of all time. He has built globally successful businesses, and there is no doubt that he has a genius mind and drives his businesses with innovation at the heart and a willingness to take risks, but does his titanic global success immediately translate to great leadership??

Musk: A Ruthless Leader

Many argue that Musk's leadership is flawed when it comes to the way he leads people. He has little thought for his employees and the people who stand in his way. Commentators have said that he demands perfection from people and runs a culture based on the fear of firing.

When Musk first joined Twitter people were unhappy, anxious and there was no leadership reassurance. It was all about what he wanted to do, his fame, his glory and driving business success. Is this why he is so successful? We all know complex decisions must be made when it comes to leadership, but it is also about how you lead your people, through uncertainty and steady the ship.?

If global success doesn't define great leadership, then what does it take to be a great leader in today’s world? How do you drive a successful business with thoughtfulness at the core and with care towards people, planet, as well as profit?

These are core questions that come up when we are advising leadership teams and media training them, as part of an executive profiling exercise to understand their own leadership style and focus.?

We have interviewed some great leaders recently through our Thoughtful Leadership podcast and there have been some core themes which have come through unanimously that are central to being a great leader. The unanimous view is that, in today’s world, it’s a tough job to have.?Here are some considerations to make as a business leader:

Listen and Connect

You learn the most about your business from the people. Spend time with your team and walk the floor. Ensure you factor in time to being present with your team and hearing from them regularly. This doesn’t just mean your senior team. Encourage feedback and ensure there are opportunities on a regular basis for teams to give feedback through face-to-face forums and CEO sessions, as well as online pulse surveys.

Once you receive this feedback, make sure you demonstrate you have listened and responded so people feel heard and understood.?

Communicate Your Vision and Business Plan?

Where are you going as a business, what revenue targets do you have and what are you hoping to achieve over the next 5 years? We often hear that employees feel in the dark; they want to understand the aims so they are clear on what they are doing, and how it will support the business. Often this comes back to communication again – there is a vision, yet it hasn’t been effectively communicated with the business. Your people are your voice piece – make sure they are your priority audience when it comes to company updates and overall vision.

Build a Culture That's Reflective of the World We Live In

DE&I is crucial aspect of effective and thoughtful leadership in today’s world. You can’t run a business successfully without reflecting the world outside, and having a diverse workforce from a wide range of cultures, backgrounds, and genders is key to this.

Being cognizant of the gender pay gap and helping to create a more equitable workplace. This not only drives more employee loyalty and engagement, supporting retention and attraction, but it will also ensure you are a more powerful organisation, providing opportunity to all and in return having a diverse range of people in your company that can help power you forward.

Be Clear on Your Purpose

And finally, but perhaps the most important. Identify your purpose and be clear on your north star for the business (and for yourself as a leader).?

This is your underlying focus as a business and will guide you to where you go and the decisions you make. It will help determine your values as a business and ensure everyone feels a sense of direction as to why the business or organisation is here, and what it is striving to achieve.?

Musk’s company Tesla is very clear on its purpose: ‘to help move away from a hydrocarbon economy and towards a solar electric economy.’ Some businesses are built on purpose, and others, often, those with legacy corporate systems find it hard to clarify a clear purpose today. This takes more work and specialist support, but it is important to drive business, retain staff and recruit effectively.

All of these aspects are key to successful leadership and should be the focus for any leader. It is these that will drive success and be core to what makes a successful leader in today’s world, alongside the business output.