Neutron Elon: Why Twitter’s boss is more like Jack Welch than you think

Musk is as erratic as he is brilliant, micromanaging decisions just as Welch once did and spreading himself thin by running five companies at once, which could lead to his star dimming over time just as Welch’s has. — Reuters

Elon Musk’s recent moves to put his stamp on Twitter Inc call to mind another cult figure of corporate America – Jack Welch.

Both men have achieved mythic status in capitalism, generating vast wealth and cultivating slavish devotion in the process. Welch, who helmed General Electric Co from 1981 to 2001, became famous for massive layoffs, championing shareholders over staffers and for financial engineering that ultimately led to catastrophe after he left. The style earned him the nickname “Neutron Jack”. Musk has a Steve Jobs-ian ability to know what customers want before they do, which has made him the world’s richest man and, now, the head of the world’s virtual town square.