Elon Musk is a modern-day entrepreneurial phenomenon – a billionaire, philanthropist and inventor, who’s revolutionising industries such as automotive, space exploration and the global energy market. As the CEO of Tesla Motors and SpaceX, Musk has been leading the charge in pushing new and emerging technology, often doing whatever it takes to get the job done.
So, when Tesla employees began to notice Musk had hauled in an old-fashioned sink to the office and placed it in a communal area, everyone was a bit taken aback. Why did Musk bring a sink to work?
The answer, according to some of Musk’s former employees and colleagues, is pretty simple. He had recently started brewing his own beer in the office kitchen and wanted an easy way to rinse the equipment.
“He likes to personally drive projects along so he usually shows up with tools and helps the manufacturing engineer build out the prototype,” former SpaceX employee Jim Kroeger told Business Insider. “In this case, he happened to have a sink he needed to rinse his beer-making supplies, so he brought it in.”
Musk definitely has an entrepreneurial mentality, says Kai Ryssdal, Co-Host of Marketplace and SiriusXM from PRI. “When Elon Musk gets an idea and a vision for what he wants to do, he’ll put every bit of himself into executing it. In this case, that meant not relying on someone else to provide a sink for his beer-making setup.”
Tesla employees have since repurposed the sink to clean their paint guns, a common tool used during the manufacturing of automobiles. Tesla has become a symbol of innovation, making things work outside of the boundaries of the status quo. This is another example of all hands on deck mentality, pushing boundaries on what is acceptable.
By contrast, Musk’s move could also be interpreted not so much as an entrepreneurial spirit but rather a one of convenience. Musk certainly accomplished his goal of having a sink, but perhaps at the expense of opening himself and the company up to criticism or misinterpretation. There is a danger of sending the wrong message about time management and the use of resources for certain tasks, when employees have seen the leader of the company arrive with a personal sink.
His Family and Innovations
Musk is a South African entrepreneur and business magnate, married to Canadian-born author, Talulah Riley and father to 6 children. Musk’s entrepreneurial pursuits have ranged from electric cars and renewable energy, to space exploration and artificial intelligence. He’s held positions as CEO in several companies, most notably Tesla and SpaceX but also as Co-Founder and Chairman of SolarCity.
His innovation and passion to make the world a better place has quickly made him a household name and role model for young entrepreneurs the world over. Looking past the sink incident, his unique view on how to receive feedback and constantly learn and improve makes Musk a leader like no other.
As CEO of Tesla, Musk has implemented a unique feedback system that encourages employees to speak candidly in what is known as a “teardown”. These meetings are held weekly and employees talk openly while sharing ideas and constructive criticism, in what Musk calls a “no suggestion too outrageous” policy.
Musk has admitted he makes mistakes but believes in constantly learning from those missteps. According to him, that “normalizes mistakes for everyone and in turn, the entire company starts to take more risks and make bigger strides.”
Musk’s Vision of the Future
Not only does Elon Musk have a deep understanding of his roles and his vision for the future, but he also knows what it takes to achieve success. He is an advocate for hard work, dedication and creative problem solving.
Musk has often spoken of his desire to change the future. As the brains behind SpaceX, the goal is to finally make it possible for humans to colonize on Mars. However, he has made it clear that Mars is only a stepping stone toward something even more ambitious – establishing a self-sustaining city on the red planet.
It is believed that part of Musk’s drive to pursue this vision is his desire to make “life multiplanetary” – to ensure humankind’s long term survival. In his own words, Musk believes “we need to move from an economy that is dependent on fossil fuels to one that is driven by renewable energy” and to create a sustainable infrastructure in space that could be scaled at a large scale.
With the world of technological advancements expanding, Musk believes it is more important than ever to look towards the future. In addition to his work with Tesla and SpaceX, Musk also has plans to revolutionize internet access by deploying satellites into space. His company SpaceX is already well underway in developing a satellite internet service, called Starlink, which will provide high speed internet to remote areas of the world that were previously without.
Global Impact
Musk’s impact can be seen in numerous industries, making him one of the most influential figures in modern business. The future of energy, transport and communication is being reshaped every day by his ideas and inventions. In this ever-changing world, his role and influence is becoming more and more important.
Musk’s contribution to global sustainability has not gone unnoticed. He has received numerous awards, such as the National Design Award, AAAS Fellow and the Time 100 most influential people in the world. He is progressive and influential, inspiring millions of people around the world through his innovation.
What makes Musk’s brand of discipline and dedication even more remarkable is that his success is self-made. Born in and raised in South Africa with very little money, this self-made billionaire is nothing short of inspirational. His current level of success is the result of years of hard work, dedication and his unique ability to come up with out of the box solutions.
Leading the Way
Musk’s entrepreneurial spirit and tenacity have made him a leader in the tech industry, changing the way many of us look at business. He continues to push the boundaries of innovation, often going where no one has gone before. Through his actions, Musk has demonstrated immense product leadership, inspiring companies around the world to rethink the way they do business.
Musk is clearly dedicated to solving complex and interesting problems, so it’s not surprising he brought a sink to the office. It is a testament to his drive, ambition and resourcefulness. His commitment to ‘no suggestion too outrageous’ has pushed the boundaries of innovation and his willingness to take risks has led to some of the most impressive projects the world has yet to see.
The Inspiration behind Elon Musk
When asked what inspires him, Musk often refers to science fiction and exploration. From Isaac Asimov to William Gibson, Musk has found inspiration in the works of many iconic authors. He has been particularly inspired by the works of American fantasist Robert A. Heinlein, who wrote the famous book “Stranger in a Strange Land”.
Musk’s favourite quote from Heinlein is: “A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”
This quote encapsulates Musk’s ambition, drive and willingness to learn and inspire others. His success is living proof that anything is possible when driven with enough ambition and dedication.
Conclusion
The story of Elon Musk hauling a sink to his office shows us that his ambition and drive far exceeds simply leading the charge in pioneering new technology – it’s also his passion to learn and share his knowledge with others. He is a leader that opens his mind to any suggestion, no matter how “outrageous”, with the drive and passion to push boundaries and pursue the impossible. From his examples, we have much to learn about leading a successful career, regardless of the mission.
