Commentary: Elon Musk and the dangerous myth of omnigenius

Commentary: Elon Musk and the dangerous myth of omnigenius

Elon Musk’s misadventures with DOGE might be the ultimate example of a powerful flaw in how we think about leaders. That’s our tendency to believe skills and accomplishments are portable, that someone who excels in one venue will be just…

Elon Musk and the dangerous myth of omnigenius

The Business Standard Gautam Mukunda, 16 April, 2025 Elon Musk’s misadventures with DOGE might be the ultimate example of a powerful flaw in how we think about leaders. That’s our tendency to believe skills and accomplishments are portable, that someone who excels in one venue will be just as impressive in others. I call this exceptional — if imaginary — superpower “omnigenius.” In reality, though, success doesn’t exist without context. While th…