--- title: "Former Employees Say Elon Musk Was an Absolutely Terrible Boss" description: "Leadership at Neuralink, the brain-computer interface startup cofounded by Elon Musk, has been an absolute disaster, according Fortune." date: "2022-01-31" modified: "2022-01-31" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/former-employees-elon-musk-terrible-boss" categories: - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "brain computer interface" - "elon musk" - "neuralink" - "the digest" --- # Former Employees Say Elon Musk Was an Absolutely Terrible Boss ![Leadership at Neuralink, the brain-computer interface startup cofounded by Elon Musk, has been an absolute disaster, according Fortune.]() *\Image: Neuralink/Getty Images/Futurism\* ## Absentee Leadership Leadership at Neuralink, the brain-computer interface startup cofounded by Elon Musk, has been an absolute disaster, according to a [scathing new report]() by *Fortune*. We [already wrote]() about *Fortune*'s take on dysfunction at the company. But it sounds like Musk's own leadership role at Neuralink has been fraught as well, according to the report. Several former employees told the magazine that Musk was nearly impossible to get a hold of over the years, dropping in only roughly twice a quarter for no more than a few hours. ## SEC Trouble Musk may have also reserved himself the typical responsibilities fit for a CEO, according to *Fortune*, but was never officially the leader of the company. That may have to do with the fact that he was limited by [a settlement]() with the US Securities and Exchange Commission after making questionable statements via his Twitter account about [Tesla going private](). In a 2018 letter obtained by *Fortune* addressed to the SEC, Neuralink's lawyers had to reassure the regulator that Musk "has no executive or management role at Neuralink." ## Cofounder Row Leadership on the whole seemed to be a hot mess. "Each of the cofounders wanted something different," Tim Hanson, a senior scientist at Janelia Research Campus and part of the original founding team, told the magazine. He left the company in 2018. Cofounder Max Hodak, who had previously launched several successful startups and took care of many day-to-day operations tasks at Neuralink, also [abruptly departed in early 2021](). On the rare occasion Musk did show up at Neuralink's offices, former employees said, they weren't exactly thrilled. According to the former insiders who spoke with the magazine, Musk built a work environment based on fear and blame — and of course, his infamously [relentless deadlines](). The startup faced a huge turnover rate beyond the departures of most of the original "cofounders," according to [previous reporting]() by *Fortune*. Where that leaves Neuralink's ambitions to start human clinical trials of its brain chip is anything but certain — despite Musk's [repeated promises](). **READ MORE:** [Neuralink’s leader suddenly departed last year. Employees say his relationship with founder Elon Musk had long felt strained]() \[*Fortune*\] **More on Neuralink:** *[Musk's Neuralink Is an Absolute Disaster, Former Employees Say]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()