Charles Esther
Elon Musk is known for his unique management style, and according to David Sacks, White House crypto czar and a close confidant of Musk, the billionaire CEO frequently goes through intense bursts of focus on one venture before transitioning into “maintenance mode.”
On the latest episode of the All-In podcast, Sacks shared insights into Musk’s approach to managing multiple ventures, including his decision to scale back his involvement with DOGE and redirect his focus toward Tesla.
Sacks explained that Musk’s decision to focus more on his electric vehicle company starting in May is consistent with the way he has operated in the past with other ventures.
Musk’s Intense Bursts of Focus
Sacks recalled his experiences working with Musk during the acquisition of Twitter, which he helped facilitate.
He described how Musk initially immersed himself in the Twitter business, spending full-time at Twitter headquarters for the first few months.
“He learned the business down to the database level,” Sacks said, emphasizing Musk’s hands-on approach to understanding every detail of the companies he leads.
However, once Musk felt comfortable with his knowledge of the business and had the right people in place, he transitioned into maintenance mode, delegating responsibilities to his trusted team.
Sacks noted that this approach is how Musk has been able to manage multiple successful companies simultaneously.
DOGE and Tesla: Shifting Focus
Musk confirmed on a Tesla earnings call that he will spend less time on DOGE and dedicate more hours to Tesla.
He stated that he would spend a day or two per week on his government duties, ensuring they remain useful, but he emphasized that his primary focus will now shift to his electric vehicle company.
This decision comes after increasing pressure from investors and analysts, who urged Musk to realign his priorities with Tesla, especially given the company’s sluggish sales and concerns from its core customer base.
Sacks explained that Musk’s management style enables him to focus intensely on a project, put the right team in place, and then step back once everything is on track.
“The key is that Elon has these intense bursts where he focuses on something, gets the right people and structure in place, feels like he understands it, and then he can delegate more,” Sacks said.
Maintaining DOGE with a Reduced Presence
Although Musk is scaling back his day-to-day involvement in DOGE, Sacks assured that the project would continue under Musk’s leadership.
“DOGE is going to continue; it’s just that Elon is shifting to a mode where he can manage it one day a week or two days a week as opposed to being there five days a week,” Sacks said.
Sacks clarified that Musk isn’t stepping down from his government role entirely but instead is rationing his time. Musk, as a designated special government employee, is allowed 130 days per year in his government role, limiting the time he can dedicate to DOGE.
A Long-standing Business Relationship
Sacks and Musk have a long history of personal and professional ties, dating back to their roles at PayPal.
The duo, along with other influential figures like Peter Thiel and Reid Hoffman, is part of the PayPal Mafia, a group of entrepreneurs who became successful after their time at the company.
Despite not being part of the DOGE team, Sacks continues to have a deep personal and business relationship with Musk, offering insights into his management style and future plans.
