Even when shedding a few tears in a sentimental interview, they do not need to be understood—at least not by the crowd. How could the crowd understand them? It is enough for those nearby to understand their “madness.”
Men have been stereotyped as having to be ‘strong’ for too long. Let women help change the world too.
Reading about Elon Musk reminded me of a saying that goes something like this:
“A man divorced once is a precious gem. Divorced twice, a diamond. Divorced three times, he might be Elon Musk. But if after 40 he still isn't Elon Musk—an entrepreneur transforming one or several fields—beware that he may only be… cow dung (bull shit).”
That sounds very encouraging, but we also need to be very careful ?
Details of Elon Musk’s tearful interview show that being a good entrepreneur is not enough; you must also have an iron will.
In a lengthy interview with the NYTimes, Elon Musk repeatedly and dejectedly said that he had nearly missed his younger brother's wedding that summer and spent his 47th birthday alone at Tesla's office trying to help the company meet its production target.
A NYTimes reporter met Elon Musk at his Los Angeles home, where he seemed to be losing his composure. ‘The past year has been the most difficult and painful year of my career. It has been excruciating,’ he confided.
Things have gone badly for Musk, Tesla's boss, since he unexpectedly announced on Twitter last week that he wanted to take Tesla private. The announcement immediately stirred a storm across the market and within Tesla itself, to the point that Musk admitted there had been some arguments.
In a lengthy interview with the NYTimes, Musk repeatedly and dejectedly said that he had nearly missed his younger brother's wedding that summer and spent his 47th birthday alone at Tesla's office trying to help the company meet its production target.
Asked whether exhaustion was affecting his health, Musk replied, “Of course, it's not very good. A few friends visited me and seemed genuinely concerned.”
Musk's tweet triggered a federal investigation and angered some board members. Efforts to find a number 2 executive to ease pressure on Musk appear to be underway, and he has been informed of the search. Some board members have expressed concern not only about Musk's overwork but also his use of a sedative called Ambien.
2 decades ago, Musk was one of Silicon Valley's most ambitious entrepreneurs, helping establish several influential technology companies. He often portrayed himself as brave, dismissing criticism and unconcerned with the glow surrounding his success and wealth. Yet in a recent interview, he revealed an unusually vulnerable side.
In the interview, Musk also detailed the timeline of events on Twitter through his posts on August 7 about wanting to take Tesla private at 420 USD per share. He declared that he had “funding secured” for such a deal.
That morning, Musk woke up at home with his girlfriend and exercised. He then got into a Tesla Model S and drove to the airport. On the way, he typed this fateful tweet.
Musk said he viewed the tweet as an effort at transparency. He admitted nobody knew of or reviewed it before he posted.
Tesla stock immediately rose. Investors, analysts, and the press were in an uproar. In the interview, Musk said he had decided on a price of 420 USD per share.
Musk went to the airport and boarded his private plane to Nevada, where he spent 1 day visiting Tesla's battery factory. That evening he returned to San Francisco for a late-night meeting at Tesla.
The phrase “funding secured” in Musk's tweet became a crucial question. Those 2 words alone helped push Tesla shares higher.
But that, it turned out, was still rather distant…
Musk said he meant potential investment from Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund. He had extensive discussions with representatives of this 250-billion-dollar fund about financing a deal to take Tesla private, even if it meant they would own most of the company. One such development occurred on 31/6 at Tesla's Bay Area factory. However, a source close to the matter said the Saudis had not committed any cash.
One possibility being considered is that SpaceX, Musk's rocket company, could help raise funds to take Tesla private and thereby acquire a stake in the automaker.
Musk's tweet prompted a range of reactions.
About 1 hour and 20 minutes after it was posted, Tesla stock rose 7%, then trading was suspended. Tesla published Musk's letter to employees explaining the possibility of taking the company private. When trading resumed, the stock kept rising, ending the day up 11%.
The next day, investigators at the securities commission asked Tesla for an explanation. Normally, information of this kind about a public company's plans must be disclosed in detail after internal preparation, through official channels. Tesla's board members, however, had known nothing of the CEO's announcement, leaving them furious.
In the interview, Musk said board members had not complained to him about the tweet. “I don't recall any conversations with the board about that issue. I certainly didn't receive any angry calls from directors.”
However, shortly after the interview became public, he said through a Tesla spokesperson that Antonio Gracias, an independent Tesla director, had called him to discuss the tweet on the 7th, and that he had agreed not to tweet again about taking Tesla private in the event of discussions with the board.
In the interview, Musk added that he did not regret the Tweet and had no plans to stop using social media. Some board members had recently told Musk that he should quit Twitter and focus on producing cars and launching rockets.
The SEC quickly investigated the matter. Just days after requesting information, Tesla’s board and Musk received SEC subpoenas. A source said they would meet SEC officials the following week.
At this point in the conversation, Musk's demeanor alternates between smiles and tears…
He said that recently he had often worked 120 hours a week. In the interview, Musk said he had not taken more than 1 week off work since 2001.
“There were times I stayed at the factory for 3 – 4 days — I didn't even go outside. It became too difficult to see my children and friends.”
At this point, Musk paused, tears about to flow…
On 28/6, Musk turned 47 and said he spent the whole day working. ‘All night — no friends and nothing.’
2 days later, he was scheduled to attend his younger brother Kimbal's wedding in Catalonia. Musk said he would fly there directly from the Tesla factory. He arrived just 2 hours before the ceremony, then immediately returned to his plane and flew straight back to Tesla headquarters.
Musk fell silent again…
“I thought the worst was over. But that was from the perspective of Tesla's operations. Personally, it seems my worst is still to come.”
He blamed short sellers—investors betting that Tesla shares would lose value—for putting him under pressure. He said he had endured ‘at least a few months of extreme torture from short sellers who want to push Tesla toward bankruptcy.’
To be able to sleep when not working, Musk says he sometimes uses Ambien, a sedative. “Sometimes I have to choose between not sleeping and Ambien.”
However, this concerned board members. They said the medication might not help Musk sleep but instead prompt unusual late-night tweets.
Tesla leaders have spent years trying to recruit a Chief Operating Officer or a second-ranking senior executive to take on some of Musk's daily operational responsibilities. 2 years ago, Musk said the company had approached Sheryl Sandberg—currently Facebook's second-ranking senior executive—about the job.
Musk said, “To my knowledge,” “Tesla is not currently looking for this position.” However, a source close to the matter said the search restarted after the tweet on the 7th.
Responding to questions in the article, Tesla issued a statement: ‘There have been many false and irresponsible rumors in the press about Tesla’s board discussions. We want to make clear that Elon Musk’s commitment and dedication to Tesla are evident. Over the past 15 years, the Tesla team under Eln Musk’s leadership has helped us grow from a small startup into a company delivering thousands of cars to customers, with 10 thousand employees worldwide and substantial value created for shareholders.’
Musk maintained that he had no plans to relinquish his dual role as chairman and CEO.
However, he added, “If anyone can do a better job, please let me know. They can have the job. Is there someone who can do a better job? They can take over right now.”
Original article on Cafebiz: http://cafebiz.vn/chi-tiet-bai-phong-van-nghen-ngao-trong-nuoc-mat-cua-elon-musk-de-hieu-rang-lam-doanh-nhan-gioi-thoi-chua-du-ban-con-phai-la-mot-nguoi-co-tinh-than-sat-da-20180819180208685.chn
