Elon Musk Echoes Steve Jobs’ Wisdom
Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk finds resonance in the legendary thoughts of Apple Inc.’s late co-founder, Steve Jobs, on the critical art of assembling top-tier talent for achieving entrepreneurial eminence.
The Power of Hiring ‘A’ Players
What Led to This: Jobs championed the notion of the indispensability of assembling an elite squad. He famously believed that a compact group of exceptional “A” players could outshine a larger team consisting of average “B” and “C” players.
Musk, presently ranked as the world’s third wealthiest individual with a staggering net worth of $189 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, emphatically aligns with this principle.
Jobs’ tactics were underpinned by his unwavering resolve to handpick extraordinary individuals, eschewing mediocrity in favor of the best talent available.
The Team Behind Success
Jobs entrusted his success to the humans he surrounded himself with rather than merely relying on technology.
Quoted reminiscing on Apple’s nascent days, former CEO John Sculley recalled a team that may have lacked experience but was united in their unwavering faith in Jobs and his groundbreaking vision.
Why Investors Should Take Note: Apple’s trajectory attests overwhelmingly to the efficacy of adhering to Jobs’ philosophy; from the revolutionary Mac to the iconic iPod, iPhone, and iPad, Cupertino’s triumphs can be traced to Jobs’ foresight and acumen.
Musk’s own success narrative sees him sculpting innovative corporations like Tesla, SpaceX, and recently xAI, having previously co-founded PayPal. Moreover, his involvement in OpenAI underscores his leadership in the AI domain.
Fostering Excellence
In the words of Jobs, an ensemble of “A” players is a self-sustaining force, disinclined to compromise by hiring subpar talents, fostering an environment that thrives on excellence and relentless ambition.
As Musk aptly puts it, “You build up these pockets of ‘A’ players and it propagates,” highlighting the organic growth and self-regulating quality of a team comprised exclusively of exceptional talents.