In just 2 sentences, Elon Musk taught every employee a great lesson in leadership

Tesla CEO Elon Musk may not be a role model for work-life balance, but he clearly understands the consequences of poor communication and poor management. An email Musk sent to his employees a few years ago, which later leaked to the public, included this quick lesson:

Communication should go through the shortest path necessary to get the job done, not through the chain of command.

The message was clearly a warning to his managers because Musk knows that communicating through hierarchies and multiple channels can slow things down and kill innovation. No employee doing the actual work should ever have to go to their manager, who then goes to their manager, who then goes to their vice president, who then does a favor to their manager, who then goes back to their manager, which finally authorizes the worker to do something. This is madness.

Information must travel the shortest distance

Musk understands that information should travel in any direction, between all levels, regardless of rank or position. This decentralized, bottom-up management approach is the future of leadership. If something is to be communicated in a way that will increase efficiency and productivity, according to Musk, it must travel the shortest distance.

Easier said than done if you are currently in a top-down command and control environment. What shift is required?

Give employees the freedom and opportunity to decide, participate, and determine the best way to get the job done. Employees thrive in entrepreneurial environments, which makes them feel invested in the business. This means giving them ownership of their work and the ability to make decisions for themselves, especially if they have the skills and abilities to know the best course of action. When you allow them this freedom, they are likely to perform at a higher level.

The leader's goal is and always will be to empower team members to make the right decision. This helps them to be proactive in solving the problems they face and to take full responsibility for the results.

A good starting point

The fear of being reprimanded for acting on your good instincts crushes the human spirit. Managers need to pump fear out of the atmosphere by providing employees with autonomy, a voice to express their ideas, and allowing risk taking and mistakes as part of their learning process. Start by developing a sense of acceptance and an atmosphere of encouragement. Then watch your employees do things that will blow your mind.