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How to Think Like Elon Musk
Article

How to Think Like Elon Musk

Fortune, 2016

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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Innovative
  • Eye Opening
  • Well Structured

Recommendation

By 45 years of age, Elon Musk had built four multibillion-dollar organizations in four disparate industries. What does he do differently from others that makes him so successful? He may be a workaholic with visionary views but, more important, he is also a master of “learning transfer.” Entrepreneur Michael Simmons and consultant Ian Chew pull back the curtain on Musk’s exceptional abilities as an “expert-generalist.” getAbstract recommends this article to business leaders looking for ways to grow intellectually and professionally.

Summary

There’s no doubt: Elon Musk is unique. He has built four multibillion-dollar companies in various disciplines – “software, energy, transportation and aerospace.” Yes, he clocks 85-hour workweeks and sees possibilities for the future that others only dream of, but many these traits aren’t what set him apart from the crowd. What makes Musk special is that he is an “expert-generalist” who can seamlessly transfer knowledge from one field to the next.

An expert-generalist – a label coined by Bain & Company chairman Orit...

About the Authors

Michael Simmons is an entrepreneur and writer at MichaelDSimmons.com. Ian Chew is director at Empact, a company focused on entrepreneurship programs and events.