---
title: ▍Elon Musk’s 6 Sigma Rule for Productivity
created: 2025-10-29T07:26:05
modified: 2025-10-29T07:34:07
draft: false
category: Essay
author: Elon Musk
url: https://sightsinplus.com/news/industry-news/elon-musks-6-sigma-rule-for-productivity-avoid-large-meetings
---

1. **Avoid large meetings**

	Large meetings waste valuable time and energy.

	* They discourage debate
	* People are more guarded than open
	* There’s not enough time for everyone to contribute

	Don’t schedule large meetings unless you’re certain they provide value to everyone.

2. **Leave a meeting if you’re not contributing**

	If a meeting doesn’t require your:

	* Input
	* Value
	* Decisions

	Your presence is useless. <mark>It’s not rude to leave a meeting. But it’s rude to waste people’s time.</mark>

3. **Forget the chain of command**

	Communicate with colleagues directly. Not through supervisors or managers.

	Fast communicators make fast decisions. Fast decisions = competitive advantage.

4. **Be clear, not clever**

	Avoid nonsense words and technical jargon. It slows down communication.

	Choose words that are:

	* Concise
	* To the point
	* Easy to understand

	Don’t sound smart. Be efficient.

5. **Ditch frequent meetings**

	There’s no better way to waste everyone’s time.

	Use meetings to:

	* Collaborate
	* Attack issues head-on
	* Solve urgent problems

	But once you resolve the issue, frequent meetings are no longer necessary. You can resolve most issues without a meeting.

	Instead of meetings:

	* Send a text
	* Send an email
	* Communicate on a Discord or Slack channel

	Don’t interrupt your team’s workflow if it’s unnecessary.

6. **Use common sense**

	If a company rule doesn’t:

	* Make sense
	* Contribute to progress
	* Apply to your specific situation

	Avoid following the rule with your eyes closed.

	<mark>Don’t follow rules. Follow principles.</mark>

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See also: [Elon Musk’s 6 Productivity Secrets for Tesla](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/marcus-koehnlein_productivity-gettingthingsdone-management-activity-7224688886298406913-JAA3)