The Power Struggle Between Yaccarino and Musk

How Elon Musk’s X Rebrand Undermined Linda Yaccarino’s Leadership

The Power Struggle Between Yaccarino and Musk

Linda Yaccarino became the CEO of Twitter in May 2023, after Elon Musk stepped down from the role. 

She faced a daunting challenge: to revive the struggling social media platform and boost its advertising revenue. 

But Musk’s actions soon after his departure made her job even harder. 

In July, he announced that Twitter would change its name to X, a move that sparked controversy and backlash in some countries.

The name change effectively destroyed Twitter’s global brand identity, according to Christy Glass, a sociologist at Utah State University who has researched the glass cliff phenomenon, where women are more likely to be promoted to leadership positions when an organization is in crisis. “She was hired to restore the ad revenue, and within a month he completely ruined this very successful brand and the recognition that came with it. It feels like he is pulling the rug out from under her,” Glass says.

Glass adds that a new CEO in a crisis situation needs to have the ability to make quick changes. “I don’t see any evidence that she has the freedom to do what the company needs, because of Musk’s huge influence,” she says.

The Power Struggle Between Yaccarino and Musk : 

Another question is how much authority Yaccarino has over Musk. When he appointed her, he said he would stay as the CTO and the executive chair of the board. 

This created a complex situation for Yaccarino, says Jo-Ellen Pozner, associate professor of management and entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University. “It’s very difficult to have your boss be your direct report at the same time and have any kind of control or influence,” she says. “That’s not how hierarchy works.”

Pozner also argues that Musk’s reluctance to let go of the spotlight is not surprising, since it was his main motivation for buying the platform in the first place. “He doesn’t like being told to shut up,” she says. “So if that’s why he took over this company, how is he ever going to give up the reins to someone else?”

Content Source Courtesy : https://www.wired.com/story/linda-yaccarino-elon-musk-x/