to Project Management: Learning from
the Master Disruptive Provocateur
ADVISORY ARTICLE
By William A. Moylan, PhD, PMP, FESD, DTM
Professor Emeritus
Eastern Michigan University, USA
Up front, full disclosure by the writer – I am not a fan of Elon Musk. However, a rather good book by Jon McNeill, a former president of Tesla, provides intriguing insights and interesting lessons applicable to project management. McNeil’s book The Algorithm reviews Elon Musk’s 5-step approach of the same name that “… requires radical thinking to explode the status quo, attack complexity and set seemingly unrealistic goals” (McNeil, 2026).
This article reviews Musk’s Algorithm 5-step process and discusses how the steps apply to project management including automotive product development applications from the annals of General Motors and the Ford Motor Company.
Step 1. Question every requirement.
The Algorithm’s first step is the must-mindset for the project manager at the onset of the conceptual phase. The Japanese method of “The 5 Whys” comes to mind. Discerning the critical needs that must be accomplished by the project is the key purpose of the Project Initiation process (PMI, 2026). Following the directive of Step 1 empowers the team to muse through the long list of possibilities they are tasked to consider and distill away any imprudent requirements. The conceptual phase is the appropriate time for the project team to filter out any nonsensical dreams and ludicrous wishes made by the stakeholders. Step 1 of The Algorithm is sound project management practice.
Step 2. Delete every possible step in a process.
This next Step is death to the adage “We always did it this way.” Old habits do not open new doors; one must eliminate in order to evolve. The project manager must challenge their team to remove process complexity without sacrificing product quality. Just as the efficiency of computer programs is a function of minimizing the total lines of code, blending two or more steps into a single succinct statement yields simplicity that in turn breeds elegance. “Less is more” is the maxim for the project manager to follow.
More…
To read entire article, click here
How to cite this article: Moylan, W. A. (2026). Applying “The Algorithm” of Elon Musk to Project Management: Learning from the Master Disruptive Provocateur, PM World Journal, Vol. XV, Issue VIII, August, Available online at https://pmworldjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/pmwj167-Aug2026-Moylan-Applying-the-Algorithm-of-Elon-Musk.pdf
About the Author
William A. Moylan, PhD
Ypsilanti, Michigan
William A. Moylan, PhD, PMP, FESD, DTM, is a Professor Emeritus with Eastern Michigan University – College of Engineering & Technology. He has extensive professional experience in all aspects of program and project management, including over eleven years internationally with the Saudi Arabian American Oil Co, and since 1983, has been involved in implementing information technology. He has degrees from Lawrence Technological University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Capella University. He is s active in a variety of professional societies and civic activities including American Society of Civil Engineers, Engineering Society of Detroit, Project Management Institute, Habitat for Humanity, Rotary International and Toastmasters International. He can be contacted at William.moylan@emich.edu
