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Elon Musk and the dangerous myth of omnigenius
Doge’s disastrous decisions highlight the hazards of the ‘halo effect’ that has seen other corporate leaders who switch industries struggle.
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Mr Elon Musk and Doge show how a leader can be empowered by the omnigenius fantasy, says the writer.
PHOTO: AFP
Gautam Mukunda
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Billionaire Elon Musk’s misadventures with the Department of Government Efficiency, or Doge, might be the ultimate example of a powerful flaw in how we think about leaders. That’s our tendency to believe skills and accomplishments are portable, that someone who excels in one venue will be just as impressive in others. I call this exceptional – if imaginary – superpower “omnigenius”.
In reality, though, success doesn’t exist without context. While there’s no pleasure in watching Mr Musk make a mess of the US government, maybe it will help clarify the crucial link between the two.
