Trailblazer Elon Musk pushes a profane new frontier

Scotts Miracle-Gro

01/12/2023 11:00

(Repeats with no changes. Strong language in paragraphs 2, 7)
    By Ross Kerber
       Nov 30 (Reuters) - Elon Musk is keen to achieve what no
business leader has done before, from mass-producing electric
cars to developing reusable space rockets. Now he is blazing
another trail most chief executives have avoided: the profane
insult. 
    The Tesla  TSLA.O  CEO told advertisers who have fled his
social media platform X over antisemitic content to "Go fuck
yourself!" in an interview on Wednesday. 
    Several business communications analysts said they couldn't
remember a similar case of an executive publicly cursing at
their customers. The job of a CEO is to do deals, not burn
bridges, they said.
    "It's openly attacking your customer. That's more the
offense than the language itself," said Andy Challenger, senior
vice president of outplacement and executive coaching firm
Challenger Gray & Christmas. 
    Musk, Tesla and X did not respond to requests for comment.
    Cases of business leaders using crude language - sometimes
for emphasis, sometimes to show informality - turn up on various
corporate earnings calls. Last year, the CEO of European airline
Ryanair  RYA.I  Michael O'Leary lashed out at planemaker Boeing
over lagging deliveries. 
        In 2018, Scotts Miracle-Gro  SMG.N  CEO Jim Hagedorn
offered a blue rant about a business unit including that "those
bastards are gun-shy as shit right now," according to a
recording. Newspaper owner Sam Zell famously told one of his own
journalists "fuck you" in an exchange in 2008.
    The context of Musk's comment was different, however, as he
was questioned about the departure of advertisers from X
following his endorsement of an antisemitic post. Musk
apologized for it and then cursed and dismissed the concerns of
the advertisers fleeing the platform.
    Academics who have studied swearing say it can relieve
stress, build bonds or create a sense of urgency. But profane
words can also convey a lack of respect, leadership skills or
control, according to a 2017 paper by authors including Yehuda
Baruch, a University of Southampton business professor.
    Musk's outburst was of the negative type, Baruch said in an
interview. His curse was "surely an indicator of a loss of
temper and loss of control. It doesn't show stress relief.
Someone at his level shouldn't be using the f-word to vent his
anger," Baruch said.
    Some analysts argue the rise of casual office culture and
work-from-home settings have encouraged more swearing on the
job. To be sure, Peter Cappelli, a management professor at the
University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, said ribald phrases
seemed more common 40 years ago and declined as more women
entered the workforce.
    Cappelli said Musk wishes to see himself as a rock star, not
a business leader who needs to take account of many
constituencies. Meanwhile Musk's vast wealth means he can suffer
financial setbacks at X. 
    "If it (X) were a public company, he would have been fired a
long time ago, but he doesn't care and he's willing to lose a
lot of money. The business community can't discipline someone
who doesn't care about losing money," Cappelli said.         

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 (Reporting by Ross Kerber; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
 ((ross.kerber@thomsonreuters.com; (617) 412 0093;))