“It’s not rude to leave; it’s rude to ...”: Elon Musk shares this go-to rule about the meetings that defines his success

Elon Musk

In the evolving landscape of corporate leadership, conversations about productivity are increasingly tied to the idea of workplace autonomy. One example comes from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, whose straightforward approach to meetings is less about efficiency alone and more about giving employees control over their time.

In a company-wide email sent in 2018, Musk told staff: “Walk out of a meeting or drop off a call as soon as it is obvious you aren’t adding value. It is not rude to leave; it is rude to make someone stay and waste their time.” The message challenged the long-standing belief that remaining in a meeting, even when irrelevant to one’s role, is a sign of respect. Instead, it reframed staying unnecessarily as a drain on productivity and focus.

The underlying message in Musk’s directive shifts the meaning of respect at work. Physical presence is no longer treated as the ultimate show of dedication; the priority is on using time effectively. By explicitly stating that leaving unproductive meetings is acceptable, the policy reduces the stigma around stepping out and encourages employees to decide where their attention is most valuable.

This mirrors a broader leadership shift in which decision-making power is being distributed more evenly. Leaders are increasingly trusting their teams to prioritise work that delivers results rather than simply following a rigid schedule.

Such a policy can influence company culture beyond meetings. It normalises questioning established processes and positions employees as active participants in shaping their workday.

Other executives follow similar philosophies. Nvidia’s Jensen Huang favours open forums over closed one-on-one meetings to improve communication. Amazon’s Jeff Bezos promotes early delegation to speed up decision-making. Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg has used the “move fast” mantra to drive rapid innovation.

Each of these approaches, like Musk’s, rests on the same principle: trust individuals to self-manage.