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Ask HN: Is Elon Musk an expert in every field he manages?

2 points by netfortius ↗ HN
Passionate comments on a LinkedIn post, following Elon Musk's tweet on management need for expertise in the field to be "supervised" https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kate-hobler_i-call-bullshit-is-elon-a-rocket-scientist-activity-6929470583139119106-JRrQ

Where does the HN community stand on this? I'm for the LinkedIn OP, but maybe it's because I'm too old, having been involved in too many industries, with a PhD in one domain (Thermodynamics) and a MS in another (CompSci), but still w/out having had the ability to master all areas which I had to manage in my professional career. I still don't understand the understanding process...

3 comments

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jstx1
He's not an expert in any of them.
SirChainsaw
He seems to recognise that he _isn't_ an expert in everything and takes the Carnegie approach of surrounding himself with smarter people than him.

He also doesn't (as the article suggests) manage SpaceX or Tesla etc. The day to day management is delegated to those who are experts at management.

His title at SpaceX is Chief Engineer and his title at Tesla is Product Architect.

DerekBickerton
How could he be an expert in every area? Unless he's some supernaut. He spreads himself thinly over many disciplines. Nothing wrong with that. He could choose to be hyperfocused on one area, but that would be at a detriment to the other areas.