𝗘𝗹𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗸 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟱 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀, 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗘𝘅𝗶𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁

When even Elon Musk lasts only  𝟱 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀 in a government role, you know there’s a lesson in it.

𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗶𝘁

Musk has impressive credentials, but even brilliance can be a mismatch when it lacks alignment. When hiring, don’t be seduced by resumes that scream “big deal.” 

𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀:

 • Don’t hire someone for who they’ve been. Hire for who they’ll be inside your company.

 • Even top talent can be a poor fit. Ask: Does this person’s vision truly align with ours? Will they stay the course when challenges arise, or are they already half out the door?

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺𝗮 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝗝𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

Charismatic individuals often know how to own a room (or Zoom). They say the right things. They make people feel like they’re the answer. 

 • But if they don’t bring long-term strategy, stability, or the ability to work well with your team, the excitement fades fast if they can’t deliver.

𝗟𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 = 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗿𝗲

Was Musk expected to be a figurehead? A disruptor? A quiet operator? The answer seemed unclear, maybe even to him. That’s a recipe for failure in any organization.

 • One reason high-profile hires fail? No one ever got clear on what success actually looked like. They were hired for “vision” or “innovation”, but never nailed down what they were supposed to do.

𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿:

 • Define a 30-60-90 day success plan, even for executive hires.

 • Ask individuals to articulate how they would approach their first 60 days. If their vision is vague, you’ve got your answer.

𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗜𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮 𝗕𝘂𝘇𝘇𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱, 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿

Sometimes the “wrong hire” is a great person in a culture that doesn’t match. The signs show up quickly: missed expectations, friction with the team, a vibe that just… doesn’t click.

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝘆:

 • Involving team members in the process (even informally).

 • Being honest about your work style and quirks, don’t “sell” your company.

 • Asking: What type of environment do you not thrive in? (Their answer will tell you everything.)

Even someone with a world-changing vision can fail fast when the role, goals, or company aren’t aligned. The cost of a misfire? Time, money, morale.

Want to attract (and keep) the right hires? Skip the shiny object syndrome. Start with alignment.