Recently, SpaceX has been hitting the headlines once again with their successful launch of the Falcon Heavy rocket with a Tesla Roadster as payload. They are scheduled to launch their Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on February 21st to put two satellites into orbit (Malik, 2018). After the most recent launch of the Falcon Heavy I started doing some reading and YouTube watching on SpaceX and Elon Musk, and eventually came across several interviews with Elon that do a little digging into his leadership style and practices. Elon’s companies are, quite literally, changing the world we live in, with developments in solar technology at SolarCity, electric automobiles at Tesla, reusable rockets at SpaceX, artificial intelligence at OpenAI, and backup battery power with the Tesla Powerwall. These impressive achievements have caused the world to become interested in Elon’s leadership and how he gets so many people, across so many organizations, and the public, to become so interested and motivated in achieving the goals he’s set. He was even listed among the top 50 of Fortune Magazine’s “World’s Greatest Leaders” in 2017 (Fortune.com, 2018).
While Elon hasn’t directly stated that he applies any one theory of leadership, his leadership behaviors across a variety of situations are neatly described by Path-Goal Theory. One example in particular is exhibited in an email he sent out to Tesla employees in response to a recently reported high rate of injury at one of his Tesla plants. In part, he said, “It breaks my heart when someone is injured…I’ve asked that every injury be reported directly to me, without exception…I would like to meet with each injured individual so I can understand, from them, exactly what we need to do to make it better…Then I will then go down to the production line and perform the same task that they perform…[Managers at Tesla] lead from the front line, not from some safe and comfortable ivory tower” (Haden, 2017).
In this impressive email, Elon exhibits two of the four styles of leadership outlined in Path-Goal Theory: Supportive Leadership and Participative Leadership. First, Elon utilizes Supportive Leadership by connecting with his subordinates and their injuries, stating he hurts with them and is concerned about their well-being. He further engages in this style of leadership by saying he wants to make their work safer. This ties in perfectly with Supportive Leadership, which requires a leader to attend to the well-being and needs of their subordinates and make their work as pleasant as possible (Williams, 2018). Second, Elon states he will meet with these injured employees and get input from them on how to go about making their job safer, and then will perform the same task to fully understand the employee’s perspective. At this point, Elon shifts into Participative Leadership, which requires a leader to involve followers in decision-making by consulting with subordinates to get their opinions and input (Williams, 2018).
In just this one example of Elon’s leadership we can see Path-Goal Theory at work, whether he realizes it or not. Elon seems to intuitively understand that his most valuable assets are his employees and that nothing is more important than their well-being and safety. He also comprehends that this is necessary for his organization to reach their goals of building a successful company and product. Path-Goal Theory says that leaders will provide a valued reward or “goal” as well as the best path to get there, with emotional support all along the way (Williams, 2018). Elon is doing just that in this situation.
Elon set a goal for his employees at Tesla to produce high-quality, electric automobiles and it is his job, as their leader, to “remove obstacles and roadblocks” to achieving that goal as well as “make the work itself more personally satisfying”, according to Path-Goal Theory (Northouse, 2016, p. 115). Again, while Elon doesn’t state this directly, his actions are in alignment with these requirements. He seeks to remove the roadblocks (injuries) that are preventing his employees from achieving their goals (make vehicles), which in turn would also make their work more satisfying (less fear of injury).
While Path-Goal Theory also includes tasks and subordinate characteristics, due to the limited information we have in this one example of Elon’s leadership, I felt that an assessment of follower and task characteristics wouldn’t be valid, and so I focused mostly on Elon’s choice of leadership style and its connection with Path-Goal Theory. At a minimum, we could say that Elon understands how the tasks of his subordinates need to be designed efficiently and safely, which Path-Goal Theory calls “the design of the follower’s task” (Northouse, 2016, p. 119). Elon seeks to revise his injured followers’ tasks in such a way that it will motivate them, and others, to continue working towards their organization’s goals.
Path-Goal Theory explains that a leader should be aware of their subordinates and the situations they find themselves in so that the proper leadership style can be chosen (Williams, 2018). Elon appears to have understood that this situation of injured workers did not call for directive or achievement-oriented leadership, but rather supportive and participative. There are many other examples out there of Elon exhibiting directive and achievement-oriented leadership, but for sake of brevity in this blog post, I chose to focus on just this one example. Whether Elon intentionally utilized the principles of Path-Goal Theory to react to his employee’s injuries or did so intuitively is unknown, but an evaluation of his reaction shows Path-Goal Theory at work in this particular situation.
References
Fortune.com. (2017). Why Tesla CEO Elon Musk is among the world’s greatest leaders. Retrieved on 18 FEB 2018 from http://fortune.com/2017/03/24/tesla-elon-musk-worlds-greatest-leaders/
Haden, J. (2017). This Elon Musk email to Tesla employees is a powerful lesson in authentic, heartfelt leadership. INC.com. Retrieved on 18 FEB 2018 from https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/this- elon-musk-email-to-tesla-employees-is-a-powerful-lesson-in-authentic-heartfelt-leadership.html
Malik, T. (2018). SpaceX delays next falcon 9 rocket launch to Feb. 21. Space.com. Retrieved on 18 FEB 2018 from https://www.space.com/39736-spacex-rocket-launch-paz-satellite-delay.html
Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership theory and practice (7th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.
Williams, J. (2018). Lesson 6: Contingency and path theories. Pennsylvania State University, PSYCH 485: Leadership in work settings. Retrieved on 18 FEB 2018 from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1923777/modules/items/23736221
aek5366 says
Hi Christopher,
I am also interested in the work that Elon Musk is doing as well as the projects that he is associating himself with. I find it interesting that you use an example to describe the Path-Goal Model especially the use of Participative and Supportive Leadership. “Path-goal theory assumes effective leaders will provide valued rewards for the follower (the “goal”) and then help them find the best way of getting there (the “path”). Along the way, the effective leader will also provide emotional support as needed” (PSU, 2018, para. 2). We can see how Elon Musk is using principles of Path Goal Model effectively. He further uses a combination of small goals to build his vision of advancing technology and innovation which are reflected in projects like Space X, Tesla, OpenAI, Neuralink and more.
References
PSU (2018). Introduction to Path-Goal Theory. Lesson 6. Retrieved February 16, 2018 from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1925331/modules/items/23786558
Jessica Marie Boulton says
Christopher,
Thank you for sharing how path-goal theory applies to Elon Musk and his company SpaceX. You gave lots of good examples on how path-goal theory fits in with his overall mission. Something interesting you had mentioned in regards to Elon Musk’s leadership style is his response email he sent out to his entire staff to show empathy and compassion for employees who hurt themselves while working for his companies. I love how you explained the transition of each leadership behavior as if it was happening in real time. Another leadership style this type of behavior sounds like is the managerial grid created by Blake and Mouton during the 1960’s. The grid focuses on two factors: concern for production and concern for people. Just like we learned in style approach theory, where concern for production is similar to task behaviors, initiating structure or production orientation and concern for people is similar to relationship behaviors, consideration, and employee orientation (Williams, 2018). The same concepts are being illustrated again in path-goal theory.
For example, path-goal theory is illustrated explaining concepts such as empathy by saying supportive and participative leadership. Similarly, the style approach illustrates these same concepts with words like relationship behaviors. And the Managerial Grid, explains the same concept of connecting with people by implying that leaders exhibit some form of concern for others. The general principles behind these categorizations are the same; harmoniously affecting human relations. This is a common theme I am noticing throughout the many theories we are learning this semester. It must be a fundamental component to leadership. Something to ponder, would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks again for sharing.
References
Williams, J. (2018). Lesson 6: Contingency and path theories. Pennsylvania State University, PSYCH 485: Leadership in work settings. Retrieved on 18 FEB 2018 from
https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1923777/modules/items/23736221
Jessica Marie Boulton says
Christopher,
Thank you for sharing how path-goal theory applies to Elon Musk and his company SpaceX. You gave lots of good examples on how path-goal theory fits in with his overall mission. Something interesting you had mentioned in regards to Elon Musk’s leadership style is his response email he sent out to his entire staff to show empathy and compassion for employees who hurt themselves while working for his companies. I love how you explained the transition of each leadership behavior as if it was happening in real time. Another leadership style this type of behavior sounds like is the managerial grid created by Blake and Mouton during the 1960’s. The grid focuses on two factors: concern for production and concern for people. Just like we learned in style approach theory, where concern for production is similar to task behaviors, initiating structure or production orientation and concern for people is similar to relationship behaviors, consideration, and employee orientation (Williams, 2018). The same concepts are being illustrated again in path-goal theory.
For example, path-goal theory is illustrated explaining concepts such as empathy by saying supportive and participative leadership. Similarly, the style approach illustrates these same concepts with words like relationship behaviors. And the Managerial Grid, explains the same concept of connecting with people by implying that leaders exhibit some form of concern for others. The general principles behind these categorizations are the same; harmoniously affecting human relations. This is a common theme I am noticing throughout the many theories we are learning this semester. It must be a fundamental component to leadership. Something to ponder, would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks again for sharing.
cas5184 says
Christopher,
It does seem true that Elon Musk follows the path-goal theory and that as such, his employees have a clear understanding of the tasks being presented. Musk must have a great leadership skills to have amassed such an empire. It seems that those who are founding new, innovative companies often have leaders that follow the path-goal theory. This is because the theory allows for multiple approaches that can be adapted to best fit the employees.
Great post,
Christine
jzb5922 says
Hello,
Thank you for this well written and thoughtful blog about the ways Elon Musk aligns with the path-goal theory. I don’t know about you, but I have always wished to work for an organization led by such an amazing leader. We have not gotten to this in the class yet, but I would also categorize Musk as a transformational leader. I am not disagreeing with your assessment, I think it’s a great fit, and a leader can embody many times of leadership frameworks and theories. I am very impressed by the email you quoted in which Musk recognizes how deeply important it is that he responds and personally address the concerns at the plant where there is a higher rate of injury. I believe that his employees truly feel cared for and important which is so important in effective path-goal style leadership. “Path-goal theory contains two groups of follower variables: the satisfaction of followers, and followers’ perception of their own abilities relative to the task to be accomplished” (PSU, 2018). In responding the way he did, Musk showed his employees that even he cares about their ability to safely do their job, and following that, I can only imagine that his followers are very satisfied by his response and their working environment.
What do you think it took for Elon Musk to become such an amazing leader, especially considering that he doesn’t only lead one organization but several?
PSU. (2018). PSYCH 485: Leadership in work settings. Lesson 6: Contingency and path theories. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1925331/modules/items/23786557