Elon Musk’s memo exposes a trust crisis in leadership

In late February, a directive from Elon Musk ricocheted through corporate America: “Email me the five things you did this week by Friday EOD.” The memo, blunt and unadorned, ignited a firestorm about workplace accountability. But in our rush to either condemn or defend, we’re missing the real story. The problem isn’t accountability — it’s how we pursue it.

The Low-Trust Tax

Musk’s email carries an unmistakable subtext: “Prove you deserve your paycheck.” This approach exemplifies corporate America’s most persistent delusion — that policy can correct culture. Companies craft elaborate systems to catch the 5% of underperformers while subjecting the productive 95% to a bureaucratic tax of suspicion.

The math doesn’t work. When organizations optimize for the lowest performers, they create drag on their highest performers. Each “prove yourself” demand saps energy that could be directed toward innovation and execution.

Microsoft research reveals that 85% of managers doubt their teams’ productivity. This uncertainty stems from multiple sources: remote work challenges, underdeveloped management skills and fundamental trust deficits. Rather than address these root causes, leaders too often reach for blunt instruments like Musk’s five-item confession booth.

The Mirror Test

Before demanding accountability from your team, try this one-minute exercise: Without preparation, list the five specific actions each team member should prioritize to excel in their role. If you’re stumbling, the accountability problem isn’t with your team — it’s with you. Clarity precedes accountability. Always. No exceptions.

The Clarity Prescription

Want genuine accountability?

Start here: Reset role expectations — even for veterans. Make observable behaviors and metrics the centerpiece of performance discussions. Create psychological safety for clarifying questions by designating a “devil’s advocate” in your next meeting who can model the art of seeking clarity.

Unsure where you stand? Implement a proper employee engagement survey. Companies like Best Companies Group have helped thousands of organizations diagnose and address these exact issues. Go to www.bit.ly/42EjDnM to start a conversation on how we can help.

The Anti-Musk Approach

Cultivating accountability isn’t about Friday email reports or performative productivity. It’s about creating conditions where excellence is both expected and achievable. Great leaders don’t demand proof of work — they create clarity about what matters, why it matters, and how success will be measured. Then they get out of the way.

The next time you’re tempted to implement a sweeping accountability measure, remember: big problems require deep thinking, not panic-induced policies. But better yet — prevent the problem entirely through clear, consistent communication from day one.
When leaders fail to communicate effectively, eventually they’re reduced to counting widgets — or worse, demanding Friday email confessionals. Don’t be that leader.

Jaime Raul Zepeda is EVP, Principal Consultant for Best Companies Group and COLOR Magazine, part of BridgeTower Media.
Wondering whether your organization is on the right path to win? Talk to us at Best Companies Group so we can analyze your organization’s health, your team dynamics, and your leadership’s effectiveness. We’ve helped over 10,000 companies understand and improve their workplace using data-driven strategies. Send me a note at [email protected].