This assignment will focus on and discuss the decisions made in 2025 by the current U.S. President and how it has negatively impacted the federal government

Elon Musk: Innovator, Visionary and Transformational leader

Student Name

Master of Business Administration, Fayetteville State University

MGMT 615: Leadership and Organizations

Dr. Darrell Bratton

Date

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Elon Musk: Innovator, Visionary and Transformational leader

In this research paper, Elon Musk's leadership talents and management style at Tesla Motors are evaluated using a range of leadership theories. The study focuses on Elon Musk's leadership in general and tries to match certain leadership qualities to several well-known conventional leadership methods. The research also offers Elon Musk a few suggestions for fusing his leadership style with workable concepts, including corporate entrepreneurship and servant leadership tactics.

Elon Reeve Musk is one of the most prominent, prosperous, and forward-thinking businessmen in the world. Elon Musk, the chief executive officer of Tesla Motors, is recognized as a leader with a keen sense of vision. Elon Musk is renowned for his long-term thinking and tireless effort in achieving his objectives. Elon Musk's adventure begins with solar energy, underground tunnels on Earth, artificial intelligence and neural networks, a school for the Alpha generation, reusable space rockets, and space travel (Fourtane, 2023). With his futuristic vision, Elon Musk is not only altering the world as we know it, but he is also on the verge of founding a brand-new planet on Mars. He founded Zip2, X.com, PayPal, SpaceX, Tesla Motors, SolarCity, and the Hyperloop (Gregersen, 2023). Elon Musk's willingness to take calculated risks in pursuit of his goals, regardless of the feedback or opposition he receives, is another important aspect of his leadership style (Starr, 2023). He took a chance, whether it was with reusable rockets or electric cars, against the opposition of many, and as a result, these ventures are among the most well-known and important in modern business. Elon Musk also established the Musk Foundation and serves as its chairman. The Musk Foundation is committed to supplying solar energy installations in disaster zones. Elon Musk's innovative thinking

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and thorough knowledge of the industry enable him to predict future demand. Additionally, a key element of his commercial success is his ability to come up with original ideas and make quick decisions. Musk's leadership style includes openness, promoting user-centered innovation, being flexible, interacting with the community, and encouraging a culture of risk-taking (Parr, 2023). He distinguishes himself from other CEOs by being actively involved in the daily operations of his innovations and holding company employees accountable for fulfilling their commitments.

One of the examples of his innovative leadership is that, according to Carmichael (2015), the state of California is spending $68 billion to build a high-speed rail route between San Francisco and Los Angeles that will take three hours to complete, and the project is proceeding according to plan. Elon Musk created the Hyperloop as a solution to the traffic issue. It can carry passengers from San Francisco to Los Angeles at an 800-mph speed in 30 minutes. He estimated the cost of construction to be around $10 billion. Compared to the government-built train, his plan was cheaper and faster.

Elon Musk’s Leadership Style: Elon Musk has shown many of the characteristics of a true leader. Elon Musk's dedication to first-principles reasoning has had a significant impact on his leadership style. He believes that applying fundamental principles to problem-solving is the key to innovation and that doing so enables him to think outside conventional wisdom. He chose to use an unconventional way to address problems and took a risk to make them successful, whether it was with Tesla's electric car, Solar City's solar panels, or Space X's reusable rockets.

Elon Musk is always recognized for his audacious and ambitious objectives. His well-known charismatic leadership style is characterized by his open and honest

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communication with his research team, employees, and the public (Rankoptimizer, 2023). He frequently engages with the public and his followers on social media and always communicates directly with the audience, enabling two-way communication. According to Elon Musk, " Starting a business from scratch is like baking a cake. The correct ratio of each component must be present. " Elon Musk has changed the universe through his SpaceX company and Tesla automobiles. Musk is driven to improve his company's offerings and transform the cosmos. Because of his work ethic and drive, Elon Musk is a role model for many. He puts a lot of effort into his work and keeps himself inspired. One of the most important innovators of the twenty-first century is Elon Musk. To change the universe, he is involved in many businesses, including SpaceX and Tesla. Musk has spent millions improving his Tesla and SpaceX products to make them better and more efficient. He has strengthened the global environment for Elon Musk's motivation to develop new items.

Learning from Failures: Elon Musk is a risk-taking leader who is willing to learn from his mistakes. According to Pressman (2023), Musk has had numerous failures during his life, even though many people see him as a star leader. Musk applied for a position at Netscape in 1995 despite having little prior experience in computer science, but he was too bashful to follow up and speak with anyone after his application was rejected. He started a business named Zip2 after this incident, but the board of directors soon sacked him. Musk has often heard from different people and the media that he lacks the abilities to be a great CEO and businessman, but his recent leadership style proved all that wrong. Musk established X.com in 1999, which was regarded as one of the worst

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business concepts. Later, this evolved into PayPal, one of the most widely used online payment systems globally (Ian, 2023).

Many auto industry experts were confident that Tesla's electric vehicle would ultimately fail. These predictions came true in 2008 when Tesla stocks began to decline because of a lack of funding. Musk decided to file for bankruptcy and spent his own money to keep the business running (KHOLGHI, 2023). Musk and his team worked incredibly hard throughout that time to turn Tesla into a profitable company. Another example is SpaceX, where everyone predicted that it would fail. It took 16 months for SpaceX to demonstrate that a rocket could be placed on one of the rescue drone ships. Musk and his colleagues have accounted for these hazards and intend to test-launch the Starship in 2023, even though everyone understands that "sending people to Mars" would always involve deadly risks. According to Musk, "Your breakthroughs or ideas could fall short. If nothing goes wrong, you're either not innovating enough or failing to innovate".

Learning from Elon Musk’s Leadership: Have confidence in yourself – Musk firmly believes in his vision and goals, even though many others are quick to dismiss them as foolish. Regardless of the critics, he pursues them mercilessly. In 2008, Elon Musk was in a terrible situation. Both Space X and Tesla were in financial trouble, but the man remained committed to the project for the long term. He was unconcerned about short-term failures. Musk was very optimistic and always looked to the future with hope.

Safeguard failure – Musk is aware that his team members must feel free to make mistakes without worrying about the consequences or receiving criticism. That's a crucial lesson for every manager who wants to lead a team that pushes the bounds of innovation. That helps them not be worried about mistakes and innovate freely.

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Constant Learning – Elon Musk is an enthusiastic learner. He had no prior knowledge of rockets, but he read everything he could to become an authority. He is one of the rare people who is an expert on rockets (Agarwal, 2023). If we want to win BIG, we must become experts in our profession and work tirelessly to achieve our goals.

Commitment to his vision – He has a passion that outlasts him personally. For instance, he sent a lengthy email outlining the reasons why there would not be an IPO anytime soon when many SpaceX employees were becoming upset about it. He suggested that you don't need a SpaceX IPO if you are that good at selling stocks. You could do it with other firms instead. Elon, however, asserted that they would be unable to take the risks necessary to realize his long-term goal if they went public. The point is that Elon is so committed to his vision that he refuses to be swayed by anything going on around him, not even events that could harm his firm.

Important Achievements of Elon Musk According to Ian, 2023, below are some of the important inventions of Musk.

X.com – In 1995, Elon Musk started Zip2, a web software company that would help newspapers create online city guides, with the help of his younger brother Kimbal and $15,000. In 1999, Compaq Computer Corp. acquired Zip2 for $341 million. The money from the Zip2 purchase was used by Musk to create X.com before the term "fintech" became popular.

Tesla – Musk has always thought that his accessible electric vehicles may totally transform how people view energy around the globe. His cars were first

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sold only to affluent people. Elon Musk, on the other hand, saw that the more people who could buy his electric vehicles, the better it would be for the earth. Due to its lower starting price, the Model 3 is now the most affordable Tesla vehicle, making it significantly more affordable for the middle class.

SpaceX – Elon Musk set out to create a backup plan in case we end up experiencing a global disaster due to the growing danger posed by global warming. SpaceX was established in 2002 to advance the evolution of humans into multi-planet species. One of Musk's major priorities has always been the capacity to send people into space and effectively colonize Mars. SpaceX has made tremendous advancements toward this objective, even though it is still in the planning stages. In terms of its objectives, which include expanding accessibility and commercializing space travel, SpaceX is making good progress.

Hyperloop- The Boring Company, which focuses on cutting-edge transportation, seeks to lessen gridlock in major cities by creating underground alternatives. In contrast to flying automobiles, which Musk claims would cause problems with the environment, noise, and pedestrian safety, tunnels are a superior solution. This plan calls for connecting major cities that are close to one another, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco. As a result, the Hyperloop is involved. Scientists have said it's impossible, but Elon Musk has consistently disproved their claims. The Hyperloop is a high-speed, long-distance transportation system that would entail pods moving through tubes at 700 mph. Musk wants the Hyperloop to only use solar power.

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Criticisms and controversies: Apart from his successful venture, Musk received many criticisms. Long hours, low pay, and a high injury rate are among the issues faced by manufacturing workers. Repetitive stress injuries, chemical exposure, and other health problems were reported among Tesla employees, which found that Tesla's injury rate was higher than the industry average. Musk engages in public arguments with people on Twitter and has said things that have gotten him into trouble (CNN, 2023). While some contend that Musk's activity on Twitter reflects his unique personality and management style, others think it is unprofessional and detrimental to the businesses he runs. Critics have criticized the Cybertruck, Elon Musk's concept for Tesla's new electric pickup truck, for its unusual appearance and lack of safety measures (Kolodny, 2023).

According to Mercer, 2023 Critics are also concerned about the Cybertruck's safety due to its stainless-steel body and sharp corners. Although Tesla advertises Autopilot as a partially autonomous driving system, some contend that the technology is not sufficiently developed to function securely without human supervision. Critics have criticized Elon Musk's businesses for their lack of inclusiveness and diversity. In 2020, several black Tesla workers sued the business, claiming that racial harassment and discrimination had occurred at the manufacturing unit. A further allegation in the lawsuit was that Tesla paid black employees less than white employees and did not promote them (Bloomberg, 2023). The lack of diversity in leadership and hiring has also been criticized at SpaceX. After buying Twitter, Musk warned that the company would go bankrupt if it didn't start earning more revenue. By eliminating work-from-

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home possibilities, postponing employee lunches, and firing half of the Twitter employees, he stretched the boundaries of work-life balance even further. He brutally altered the culture to prioritize working long hours at a rapid pace. Musk even fired colleagues who had been critical of him (Joseph, 2023).

Future Visions: Elon Musk predicts that the sun will fuel a prosperous future. According to Welch, 2023, The future is in renewable energy. Fossil fuels are a limited resource, and their consumption is already having a negative impact on the environment. Renewable energy sources, like solar and wind energy, are plentiful and can be used sustainably. Only renewable energy sources will ultimately fuel the world economy. Musk is inspiring people with his vision of the future through space exploration. The excitement of the exploration era is displayed when talking about going to Mars (Harma, 2023). Neuralink has a huge potential to improve physical and mental health and might potentially help millions of families, especially older ones. The Musk team plans to build at least a thousand Starships in the future so they can send explorer teams to Mars to build self-sufficient settlements. The Tesla Bot includes an interactive interface for human communication on its face, can walk fast in small steps, and can carry or pick up objects that are around the weight and height of an adult.

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Conclusion: Elon Musk's leadership style characterized him as an inventive, imaginative, and transformative leader. Musk has a transformational and transactional leadership style that prioritizes getting things done. Along with being tenacious, Musk is also a visionary leader with a high level of adaptability (Joseph, 2023). His persistence and brilliance in the industry and commercial sector are motivated by positive verbal communication. The success of Musk's several enterprises, including Tesla, SpaceX, and SolarCity, is largely due to his unique leadership style (CNBC, 2023). His risk-taking spirit and creative thinking helped to upend industries and mold upcoming enterprises.

Elon Musk has established himself as a prominent figure in the technology industry. Many things contributed to Elon Musk's success, including his creative vision, his risk-taking propensity, and his dedication to social impact. We may gain a great deal of knowledge about entrepreneurship, leadership, and creativity as we continue to follow the expansion and development of our firms.

He has an excellent work ethic and is well-known for his original ideas. He is an inspiration for modern entrepreneurs because of his tenacity and willingness to take chances. Transformational leadership has drawn criticism because it can be abused by the leader (Northouse, 2021). Elon believed that the free enterprise system was crucial to the success of his company. It made his initiatives stand out in the sea of other ventures and allowed him to pursue his dreams without interference from the government.

Musk has seen a great deal of challenges and failures, but he has never given up. Instead, he has persisted in moving forward despite all odds. Anyone

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who wants to accomplish big things in life needs to possess this kind of endurance (Beaver, 2023). Elon Musk continues to be among the world's top business leaders, managing a rapidly expanding brand despite setbacks and criticism. Whether people praise or criticize his leadership style, there is no denying that his inventive and forward-thinking ideas have had, and will continue to have, a significant impact on the world.

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References

Amelia. (2023, June 15). What is visionary leadership? – 5 examples, qualities. Learn Transformation. https://learntransformation.com/what-is-visionary-leadership/

Beaver, C. (2023, May 30). Uncovering the secrets of Elon Musk’s success. RSS. https://advisorycloud.com/blog/uncovering-the-secrets-of-elon-musks-success

Duffy, C. (2023, April 10). Elon Musk’s weekend antics could only further crumble Twitter’s brand value | CNN business. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/10/tech/elon-musk-twitter-antics-turnaround/index.html

Fourtane, S. (2023, April 26). Elon Musk: The story of the maverick. Elon Musk: Biography and Success – Interesting Engineering. https://interestingengineering.com/culture/elon-musk-the-story-of-a-maverick

Gregersen, E. (2023, July 4). Elon Musk. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elon-Musk

Harma, S. (2023, June 9). Elon Musk and visions of the future. Reformed Perspective. https://reformedperspective.ca/elon-musk-and-vision-of-the-future/

Ian. (2023, May 25). The 5 failures of Elon Musk and how he overcame them. Pressfarm. https://press.farm/the-5-failures-of-elon-musk-and-how-he-overcame-them/

Ian. (2023, May 25). List of all elon musk inventions as of 2023. Pressfarm. https://press.farm/list-of-all-elon-musk-inventions-as-of-2023/

Jackson, S. (2023, May 16). Elon Musk just told Tesla staff he wants to personally approve all new hires. here’s a look into his management style at Twitter, Tesla, and spacex over the years. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-management-leadership-style-at-tesla-spacex-2022-4

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Joseph, S. (2023, April 26). Twitter vs Tesla Change Management Strategies: The good, the bad, and the ugly. Apty. https://www.apty.io/blog/digital-change-management-strategies/

Khan, A. (2023, June 28). Happy birthday elon musk: Entrepreneur, engineer, risk taker extraordinaire!. Dazeinfo. https://dazeinfo.com/2023/06/28/elon-musk-birthday-amazing-facts/

Kholghi, B. (2023, January 31). Elon Musk leadership style: 13 strategies for excellence. About Leaders. https://aboutleaders.com/elon-musk-leadership-style-13-strategies-for-excellence/

Kolodny, L. (2023, May 16). Tesla 2023 shareholder meeting: Musk Talks Cybertruck, economy, advertising. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/16/tesla-tsla-2023-annual-shareholder-meeting-elon-musk.html

Agarwal, A. (2023, April 14). 7 elon musk leadership qualities to learn in 2023. Milyin. https://milyin.com/46326/elon-musk-leadership-qualities-what-makes-elon-musk-so-successful/

Mercer, Dr. B. (2023, May 11). The ups and downs of Elon Musk and his leadership style. Edge. https://apuedge.com/the-ups-and-downs-of-elon-musk-and-his-leadership-style

Myers, C. (2023, April 24). Is your leadership style like Steve Jobs or Elon Musk?. Entrepreneur. https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/is-your-leadership-style-like-steve-jobs-or-elon-musk/448821

Parr, C. (2023, June 1). Unlocking leadership excellence: Five transformative strategies from Elon Musk’s Twitter stewardship. Pursuitist. https://pursuitist.com/unlocking-leadership-excellence-five-transformative-strategies-from-elon-musks-twitter-stewardship/

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MGMT 615: Term Paper Guidelines

TERM PAPER ASSIGNMENT:

You must write an essay that is tied to some topic that we will be reading about and discussing over the course of the semester.

While your paper must be tied to the specific issues of the course, you will have some latitude in how you approach this assignment. One possibility would, of course, be for you to elaborate some more on the details of an issue that we focus on directly. Or, if you wish, you could focus on a related current issue that has been in the news and then compare, contrast or discuss that specific issue in the context of the arguments made in the readings for the course. Another possibility would be for you to elaborate further on an issue that arises in the discussion forum in the context of the discussion we will be having over the semester. In summary, the basic idea is for you to write on some specific aspect of one of the issues at hand that you believe calls for further scrutiny.

It is usually works best if you write a relatively narrow paper that focuses on a specific issue or question. The term paper is not meant to be a book review; it is meant for you to explore and follow up on some specific issue that is of particular interest to you.

BASIC FORMAT:

Your term paper should have a title that is consistent with the focus and content of the paper. The title should be on a cover page with your name identifying you as the author of the paper below the title.

It is ok to add diagrams and/or photographs to the paper as long as these are specifically intended to support or illustrate the points of the paper, but otherwise there should not be any illustrations of kind in the paper.

The paper must be submitted as a word file that is uploaded in Canvas and I will be grading it in its electronic format, so margins and line spacing are not all that critical. That said, using margins around an inch or so, along with APA double spacing, works well.

ORIGINALITY:

The paper must be your own original work, and it must be written specifically for this class (this means no recycling of old papers written for other classes). The paper will be checked for

originality using turnitin.com. Any citation omissions will affect your paper grade, but significantly plagiarized papers will receive a grade of zero, with no exceptions and with no do-overs.

LENGTH:

While the length of your paper must of course depend on your chosen topic, your papers should be at least 2000 words exclusive of the title page, and references.

SPELLING AND GRAMMAR:

You should double check the grammar and the spelling of the paper before you submit it. Keep in mind that the quality of your writing (i.e., your phrasing, punctuation, grammar and spelling) is important.

CITATIONS & CITATION STYLE:

You must cite all your sources, and you must cite these sources using APA.

REFERENCES:

The last section of your paper must be a list of references. Your references must correspond to your citations in the text of your paper and must be completely consistent with APA style. Points will be deducted from the grade for any paper that mixes up different citation styles. Your reference list should not include any sources other than those that you cite in the text of your paper, but it must also include every item that you cite or discuss, including the course material. Your reference list should begin on a new page (i.e., put a page break in front of the reference list).

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