Working Under Elon

The ongoing saga of Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter has left the company's future in a state of flux, with many speculating about a transformative shift in the platform.

Rumors circulate that Musk may replace Parag Agrawal as CEO, leaving Twitter's staff bracing for potential upheaval.

Who wouldn't be anxious?

Especially after reports of Musk's intention to lay off 1,000 employees and alter the company's operational model.

Clearly, those whose objectives diverge from Musk's vision of a transparent, uncensored social media experience may find themselves seeking new employment, regardless of their tenure.

This reaction is unsurprising.

Musk's history with hiring is well-documented; he is as quick to dismiss as he is to welcome.

Despite having substantial financial resources, he dedicates 80 hours a week to work and actively seeks to collaborate with similarly driven individuals.

For most, this environment might seem daunting.

However, surprising data suggests a significant uptick in interest in employment at Twitter following Musk's potential takeover announcement.

Statistics from Glassdoor's CEO, Daniel Zhao, indicated a nearly threefold increase in job applications.

Indeed, many individuals seem eager to work under the leadership of the head of SpaceX.

This suggests that, despite the inherent risks, the prospect of working with Musk is appealing to many.

Elon Musk: Rethinking Management

In a past interview, Musk was asked about his hiring philosophy and criticized prevalent management practices:

> “…spend less time on finance, spend less time in conference rooms, less time on PowerPoint and more time just trying to make your product as amazing as possible. I think there might be too many MBAs running companies. There’s MBA-isation of America, which I think is not that great. There should be more focus on the product.” — Elon Musk

The conventional management structure promotes a climb up the corporate ladder, leading to diminished technical responsibilities and an increased focus on meetings and decision-making.

Musk believes this approach warrants reconsideration.

This perspective makes a compelling argument!

Businesses thrive on their clientele, who are drawn to superior products and services. Quality offerings result from effective research and development, which depend on talented scientists, engineers, and designers.

This line of reasoning highlights Musk's aversion to the "MBA-isation" trend.

Ultimately, few are as equipped as Musk to define what success looks like in business.

His criticisms of traditional management practices have been voiced frequently, with a recent spotlight on the software sector.

Elon Musk: The Future of Software Management

While Musk is not primarily a software expert—Tesla and SpaceX are not software-focused companies—his entrepreneurial achievements cannot be overlooked. His recent insights pertained to software management.

On May 6, Musk unveiled his vision for an enhanced version of Twitter, aiming to create a company that is “super focused on hardcore software engineering, design, infosec & server hardware.”

Later that day, he critiqued management in the software realm, particularly echoing sentiments relevant to Twitter's management.

Musk's frustration seems to stem from the disproportionate emphasis placed on management at the expense of engineering talent. He argues that tech managers must be “technically excellent.”

Essentially, if you're a developer, you should expect your manager to possess comparable skills.

However, this assertion may not hold true across the board, particularly in software.

Often, development teams are tasked with troubleshooting issues independently, with managers stepping in primarily to review and approve changes before they go live.

This raises pertinent questions:

• Do these changes truly reflect the technical capabilities of managers?
• If a tech manager and a tech lead were to compete in a coding challenge, would they perform equally?

In my view, a tech lead would likely surpass a tech manager.

Is Elon Correct About Software Management?

Reflecting on my past internship at a large corporation, I was placed in the R&D department.

I faced a complex technical project that required extensive research, primarily relying on the company's obscure documentation. Online resources were also limited, complicating my efforts.

In the next cubicle sat a colleague, whom I'll refer to as Bob.

Bob was frequently surrounded by coworkers, rarely seen alone. One day, while grappling with a challenging concept, I sought his help during lunch hours when he was available.

Bob's intelligence was remarkable. He transitioned from providing advice to engaging in a detailed discussion, answering my questions along with many others he posed and addressed. In just one hour, I learned more from him than an entire semester at university. By the end of my internship, I had acquired a wealth of knowledge.

Bob was recognized as the go-to expert in his field. Remarkably, he carried a significant portion of the workload.

Was he the branch manager?

No.

The line manager and other executives often sought his expertise.

Does this mean the company misjudged their candidate selection, given Bob's superior competence?

Not necessarily.

Bob was content, radiating enthusiasm for his work. I never heard him voice dissatisfaction. He enjoyed a level of freedom.

He effectively acted as a manager without the title and its associated responsibilities.

A similar narrative applies to Guido Van Rossum, the creator of Python, who joined Google with the understanding that he would work solely as a software developer.

Does he lack the capability to assume management roles such as CTO or Senior Consultant?

Certainly not!

I believe the mismatch between management and technical roles is common, as illustrated in this Quora discussion regarding Guido Van Rossum's choice to avoid management positions.

Conclusion

Elon Musk's perspective on software management carries significant weight. Technical professionals form the backbone of organizations and deserve due recognition.

However, not everyone is suited for managerial roles. Furthermore, the fast-paced nature of technology leaves developers with limited opportunities for learning, coding, and iterating.

This reality complicates the expectation that all tech managers must possess high levels of technical expertise in addition to their other responsibilities.

Thus, it’s reasonable to redefine Musk’s criteria for technical managers as follows:

Managers in a technical field must be technically proficient.

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