Elon Musk “picked a fight” with Apple
and three things we can learn from it
According to Inc., Elon Musk is at it again.
Of course, one could argue he’s been at it for a while. There always seems to be something that keeps him in the limelight.
We heard about SpaceX and Tesla early on, and then he became wildly known for his rocky relationships and his demanding demeanor as a leader with the New York Times referring to him as “a boss in an endless scroll of impulse firings, retribution, tone-deafness on race — and the impregnation of a subordinate.”
More recently, it was his $44 billion dollar purchase of Twitter, and his controversial plan to make it a subscription business. His extravagant ideas and seemingly impossible goals have made him popular with many, but his treatment of people has gained him an equal number of detractors.
Naturally, it is the not-so-admiral qualities that capture public attention and limit a person’s aptitude. Wise men know that “No man is an island,” and we all need one another to accomplish goals. Most of us don’t want to work with difficult people no matter their genius level, and what happened this week is a prime example.
According to Inc., Elon Musk “picked a fight” with Apple.
When I read that he had “picked a fight,” I thought, “Finally, he’s picking on someone his own size.” Of course, in his mind, (if I may make a judgment call) Apple would be beneath him.
So, why pick a fight?
Apparently, Musk discovered that his plans for Twitter could be thwarted by “Apple’s App Store commission and its app review process.” He also says that Apple was threatening “to remove Twitter from its App store without reason.” No one knows if anyone at Apple saw the tweet for sure, but one would speculate that Apple was aware (Inc.).
Allow me to digress
When I was going through my divorce, I learned that the best way to deal with my ex was to simply not deal with my ex.
Through a series of classes and therapy, I came to believe that my ex, if not a diagnosed narcissist, at best has very strong narcissistic tendencies. He liked to pick fights and had an intense desire to win.
I was told this creation of drama was for him to validate his own grandiose self-perception by creating scenarios in which he could devalue, degrade or invalidate me. Sounds like a bully, huh?
Professionals say that this behavior is an attempt for the narcissist to keep their egos intact, and I was advised to do nothing. It was called “gray rock”.
With that in mind, I found what Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, did very interesting.
Elon was ignored.
Musk tweeted a meme indicating he would “go to war” with Apple over its 30 percent App Store fees. The tweet has since been deleted, but the aggression was public and, to the outsider, intentionally threatening.
So, how did Cook respond to this very aggressive and public threat?
“He didn’t respond at all. He didn’t tweet anything. He didn’t tweet Musk or reply — even when Musk specifically tagged Cook in a tweet” (Inc.).
Nothing. Nada. Zip.
He did not engage with what Inc. called “Musk’s trolling”. Inc. goes on to say that Cook’s lack of engagement is important because “you never win by engaging with a troll.”
Some may call it taking the high road, but frankly, Apple is a company that knows exactly who they are and where they stand. They didn’t need to respond. “Musk’s rant isn’t hurting Apple, because no one takes his rants seriously anymore” (Inc.).
Mic drop.
I really don’t enjoy engaging in negative speculation or commentary. However, there is something we can learn from this exchange, and it is important.
The news bulletin reporting Musk’s actions toward Apple can serve as a fable of sorts. You may remember that a fable is a story that always ends with a “moral” — a lesson intended to be learned through reading the story.
What is the moral of the story?
First, you can’t outrun your demons.
Elon Musk has talked publicly about the way he was bullied as a child, and the behavior he demonstrates is that of a bully. He gives what he got.
Our demons must be faced, dealt with, and forced into submission. Some people say you should befriend them. Whatever works is fine — just deal with it and stop hurting other people.
Second, know thyself.
Know thyself means recognizing and embracing your individuality and your own unique perspectives. It isn’t necessary to shove your ideas on someone else, but it does mean standing for what you believe.
Tim Cook knows himself and the company he represents. His non-response nipped negativity and drama in the bud keeping his reputation and that of Apple professional.
Third, don’t engage with bullies.
Do not accept invitations from other people who need your energy into space that you do not want to be in. Own your power and understand that you, and you alone, control you.
Final thoughts
According to CNBC, since this tweet, the two men met at Apple’s headquarters for a face-to-face conversation which marked “a significant de-escalation days after Musk went on a tweet storm.”
There was no need for drama or threats, those were just ways of obtaining attention. Perhaps for someone in Musk's shoes, it was a strategy to get free advertisement for Twitter. Or, maybe he enjoys the press whether it is positive or negative. Who knows?
I do hope that the conversation helped him on some level to understand that he isn’t an island, and I hope he can overcome the bullying behavior and develop behaviors that win friends and influence people positively.
The world could use more heroes and fewer bullies.