Money talks
“I was offered $35m for one day’s work for an airline commercial, but I talked to Amal [Clooney, the human-rights lawyer he married in 2014] about it and we decided it’s not worth it. It was [associated with] a country that, although it’s an ally, is questionable at times, and so I thought: ‘Well, if it takes a minute’s sleep away from me, it’s not worth it.’”
Actor George Clooney (pictured), quoted in The Guardian
“As if I am stupid to let someone have all my money? Not that he would ask for it.”
Singer Adele on speculation that her ex-husband pocketed most of her £145m fortune, quoted in Metro
“The BBC find it really hard to compete. They have a very set income and television inflation is far above normal inflation and these wages are just fuelling the problems in funding British drama.” Director James Kent on the BBC’s struggle to find staff as rival programme makers Netflix and Amazon drive salaries up, quoted in the Evening Standard
“Give me a one-handed economist, I’m tired of economists who say, ‘on the one hand… but on the other hand…’.” Harry Truman, quoted on Twitter
“Three generations from shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves.”
Andrew Carnegie on the tendency for children and grandchildren to squander a company founder’s wealth, quoted in The Sunday Telegraph
“You know there are people living in £10m houses because they’ve got it all in an import-export scam. I find the whole sub-economy fascinating. McMafia. Gangland Britain. I’m endlessly fascinated.” Gameshow presenter Richard Osman on an idea for a future book, quoted in The Sunday Times
inc.com
Is working for the world’s richest man a “terrible experience”, wonders Jason Aten. Some say so, interpreting Elon Musk’s emails to managers as saying “do things my way or you’re fired”.
That would certainly seem to make for a “toxic work environment”.
Except his emails don’t really say that. One email doing
the rounds is “actually quite remarkable in that it lays out exactly how a leader should engage with his or her team”.
Musk’s email reads: “If an email is sent from me with explicit directions, there are only three actions allowed by
managers: 1. Email me back to explain why what I said was incorrect… 2. Request further clarification if what I said was ambiguous. 3. Execute the directions. If none of the above are done, that manager will be asked to resign immediately”.
That might seem a bit blunt, even ruthless. But this was sent to managers – ie, to individuals charged with leading people and from whom it’s fair to demand results. It’s also clear from the email that Musk expects his team to push back when they think he’s wrong. “So should every leader.”