'What Is Happening Right Now?' Confused X Employees Recount Baffling First Meeting With Elon Musk

X employees recount 'confusing' first encounter with Elon Musk that left them scratching their heads, following the billionaire's takeover of the social media platform, formerly known as Twitter.

Musk's rambling responses, which were seen as erratic and disconnected from the company's core, left many wondering if he truly grasped the intricacies of the business. "Wasn't this guy supposed to be a genius?" one employee questioned, bewildered by the chaotic exchange.

A Chaotic Q&A: Musk's Incoherent Answers Leave Staff Perplexed

The meeting started with Twitter's chief marketing officer, Leslie Berland, gently guiding Musk into a Q&A session. Her seemingly simple opening question, "Why do you love Twitter?" prompted Musk to respond in a way that perplexed many employees.

"I find, like, I learn a lot from what I read on Twitter... It's a great way to get a message out over the phone," Musk rambled before changing the subject to a joke, "Some people use their hair to express themselves; I use Twitter."

Employees were taken aback by Musk's vague responses and apparent lack of preparation. "I actually turned to a stranger in the Commons and said, 'What is happening right now?'" an employee recalled.

Despite the initial bewilderment, some, like Randall Lin, believed the subsequent uproar was excessive, suggesting, "With Elon, you kind of know what you're going to get." Berland's probing inquiry about how Twitter employees could cultivate Musk's trust was met with a characteristically evasive response.

"If somebody is getting useful things done, then that's great. But if they're not... why are they at the company?" The nonchalant demeanour of the 53-year-old business magnate suggested a profound indifference to the concerns of his workforce.

This behaviour aligns with what Carl Medlock, a former Tesla territory manager, observed about Musk's approach to dealing with employees facing imminent termination. The final question centred on whether Musk would accept the CEO role triggered a more peculiar response.

X Employees Doubt Musk's Abilities

Currently holding the "Techno King" title at Tesla, Musk dismissed titles as irrelevant. Rather than addressing the query directly, Musk veered off into a discourse on his overarching philosophy of prolonging the existence of civilisation, delving into musings about extraterrestrial life and the fundamental nature of the cosmos.

"Many employees were stunned by this seemingly irrelevant monologue," said a former engineer, who said Musk "either hasn't given this much thought or doesn't take this seriously."

However, this doesn't come as a surprise. In a 2020 episode of the "Third Row Tesla" podcast, Musk revealed his initial hesitation to take on the role of Tesla CEO. While admitting he tried to avoid the position, Musk clarified, "This is misinterpreted like I somehow don't love Tesla, which I do, it's just like trying not to go insane with work."

After the meeting ended, Musk's responses were met with widespread disbelief, according to screenshots shared by 'evan loves worf' (@esjesjesj) in an X post. "He did not land the plane," a former executive said, criticising the X owner's inability to offer stable leadership during a time of great instability for the company.

Musk's 2022 acquisition of Twitter, valued at a staggering $44 billion, resulted in a wave of layoffs, with nearly 80 percent of the staff being terminated. Those who remained were cautioned about "extremely demanding" work conditions as Musk established the tone for his leadership of the platform now known as X.

The tumultuous events following Musk's acquisition of Twitter have left employees and observers alike questioning his ability to lead the company through significant uncertainty.