In a recent interview with Stripe co-founder John Collison and podcaster Dwarkesh Patel, Elon Musk shared his experiences with building a business and scaling a team. During the conversation, he mentioned Apple's attempts to poach Tesla employees during its electric car program.
According to Musk, Apple was 'carpet bombing' Tesla with recruiting calls, offering double the compensation without an interview. This strategy led to Tesla having a challenging time retaining top talent due to relentless recruitment from competitors like Apple.
Despite Apple's efforts, its Project Titan electric car project never materialized. However, it's clear that the company put significant resources into recruiting from Tesla.
Musk also shared his own experiences with recruiting and hiring, highlighting the importance of understanding human behavior and avoiding the 'pixie dust' effect, where relying on external talent is believed to guarantee success. This phenomenon was particularly evident during Tesla's successful periods, when competitors like Apple would aggressively recruit employees.
As a result, Tesla had to find ways to retain its best talent despite these external pressures. Musk's insights offer valuable lessons for businesses looking to scale and build high-performing teams.
Elon Musk's experiences with recruiting and hiring serve as a reminder that talent acquisition is only half the battle; retaining top performers requires a deep understanding of human behavior and effective team management strategies.
