Why Intelligent Minds Like Elon Musk and Steve Jobs Embrace the “No Silo Rule”

Why Intelligent Minds Like Elon Musk and Steve Jobs Embrace the “No Silo Rule”

Icons & Innovators

Why Intelligent Minds Like Elon Musk and Steve Jobs Embrace the "No Silo Rule"

How did Apple leapfrog Sony to create the iPod, which essentially killed the Walkman? It all came down to the "no silo rule."

By Justin Bariso , Author, EQ Applied@JustinJBariso

Getty Images

Some years ago, Elon Musk wrote an email to Tesla employees outlining ways the company could differentiate itself from competitors. "We obviously cannot compete with the big car companies in size," wrote Musk, "so we must do so with intelligence and agility."

Part of "intelligence and agility," insisted Musk, was resisting the tendency to create divisions within Tesla, a problem that often infects companies as they grow in size. 

Musk explained:

"Managers should work hard to ensure that they are not creating silos within the company that create an