Confidence is an indispensable quality in a leader. It’s what propels them forward, inspires others, and fuels innovation.

Elon Musk, with his bold vision and audacious ventures, epitomises this trait.

Yet, recent events demonstrate that even the most confident leaders have their Achilles’ heel. For Musk, it’s his tendency to lose his temper.

It’s gives his competitors and detractors an immediate advantage.

In the unfolding saga between Musk and Don Lemon, we witness the dichotomy of Musk’s personality.

On one side, there’s the charming billionaire, adept at persuasion and wooing even the skeptics.

Elon Musk and Don Lemon sit down for an interview.

Musk’s efforts to bring Lemon onboard his platform, X, initially showcased his persuasive charm.

Lemon, known for his fearless journalism and commitment to diverse viewpoints, seemed like a perfect fit for Musk’s vision of X as a platform for all voices. The modern-day town square.

Count to ten

However, Musk’s charm swiftly gave way to rashness.

After a seemingly aggressive interview with Lemon, Musk’s impulsive decision to cancel the contract via an angry text to Lemon’s agent exposed a glaring weakness in his leadership style.

In that moment, Musk abandoned the carefully cultivated image of an “open leader” and instead revealed a volatile temperament that sits at odds with the responsibilities of owning a massive communication platform like X.

Emotional intelligence

Leadership demands more than just confidence; it requires emotional intelligence and composure, especially in the face of adversity.

Musk’s outburst not only undermined his credibility but also validated the concerns of his detractors.

Don Lemon, once hopeful about the potential of X to amplify diverse voices, now stands as a testament to Musk’s inability to maintain stability and reliability. And that is bad news for the platform, still trying to win back dubious advertisers.

Don Lemon revealed his new show on Twitter has been canceled by Elon Musk. He still plans on putting their interview out.

pic.twitter.com/HtxYOlYKS8

— No Jumper (@nojumper) March 14, 2024

Here’s a question for Musk – Would Bob Iger explode this way?

Musk’s erratic behavior undermines the trust of advertisers, content creators, and users alike. The abrupt cancellation of Lemon’s contract casts doubt on X’s credibility as a platform committed to fostering open dialogue.

Instead of being a beacon of inclusivity, X now appears as yet another casualty of Musk’s mercurial temperament.

There’s no doubt that Don Lemon went into this interview to achieve something. He showed confidence in his questions, calmness in his mannerisms, and objectivity in grilling the man who had just hired his show.

I don’t admire the amount of stress Musk must be under. Tesla’s share price has been tanking, SpaceX rockets blow up, and he’s under pressure over Starlink’s role in the Middle East war and Ukraine. Imagine the stuff we don’t know.

But in this interview, Musk fell over, showing the weakness of under pressure tech titans owning big platforms.

And that is a lesson for us all.