How to destroy trust - Elon Musk style
As a leader, if your team doesn't trust you, you’re sunk and so is your organisation.
In our last article we explored how Liz Truss provided a masterclass in poor leadership. In this article we’re focusing on what Elon Musk has done to damage trust since his catastrophic takeover of Twitter.
Here are our five steps to destroying trust, Elon Musk style:
Make people live in fear for their jobs
Within a week of taking over, Musk fired 50% of the workforce by email. The fact that this was done in an abrupt, uncaring and seemingly arbitrary way means there’s a lack of clarity about what might cause you to be sacked, and a lack of safety.
The people who remain are therefore probably fearing they could also be sacked at any moment, leading to a lack of financial and psychological security, which is likely to cause fear, anger – and severely damage trust.
He’s also said that Twitter is in danger of going bankrupt, so even if they don’t get sacked, they could still lose their job if the company collapses.
Tell people you don’t care about their wellbeing
‘Commit to hardcore’ was an early instruction - he said that anyone who chooses to stick around needs to be willing to work super hard for very long hours - suggesting little respect for the human or for wellbeing. It seems clear he cares more about productivity and squeezing every drop of output from people than he does about what they need.
Micromanage and monitor people at all times
Mandating a 100% work-from-office policy lacks flexibility and doesn't take into account individual needs. This suggests he doesn’t trust people to work when they’re not being monitored, which builds resentment and disengagement.
Fire anyone who disagrees with you
He fired the entire board and make himself sole director, demonstrating that he sees himself as the omnipotent leader. He has consistently exhibited an oppressive all-or-nothing style - either you’re in or you’re out. This dictatorial style suggests it’s all about him, meaning there is no room for nuance or for different personality types or perspectives - or anyone to temper his thinking. Elon knows best, or at least thinks he does. This creates a culture of nodding dogs, people afraid to speak their minds - and massive disengagement.
Say one thing and do another
Musk said he wanted free speech on Twitter and then blocked people who created parody accounts that mocked him. He also criticised brands for withdrawing their advertising spending on Twitter as “trying to destroy free speech in America”.
Days after firing 3,700 people by email, he then asked some of them to return to work, saying it was a mistake. Are we about to be fired? Have we been fired? Will we be invited back? Who knows!
If you can’t trust that what a leader says is true, and that their decisions will be followed through, people will quickly disengage and stop respecting them. To find out how we help leaders to establish and sustain trust, click here.
