Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff’s message to leaders: Do you need to unleash the Elon within you?

Akin to a play-ground for professionals, its offices were decked out to max out creativity and collaboration. Think: Rooftop gardens, a DJ booth and a yoga studio.

But since taking over Twitter last year, Elon Musk has transformed its people-first culture into his own “extremely hardcore” workplace where a massively slimmed-down staff is expected to work “long hours at high intensity”.

Musk’s approach to leadership has been heavily criticized, of course, but far from everyone is dismissing it out of hand. Many tech world leaders have been looking at Musk’s experience for lessons, and in a new interview, Salesforce’s CEO Marc Benioff has come out as one of the more unexpected tech executives who have been watching and learning—and maybe feeling a little jealous

Like Twitter, Salesforce plans to “run lean and mean”

“Every CEO in Silicon Valley has looked at what Elon Musk has done and has asked themselves, ‘Do they need to unleash their own Elon within them?’” Benioff told Insider.

“That is an existential question that if you are any kind of executive in the company,” Benioff. “You have to look at him and say, ‘Wow, it’s a very unorthodox management style,’ but, as I’ve said, you can’t underestimate what he’s done.”

It’s a far cry from Benioff’s previous declarations that Salesforce is one big family with the Hawaiin word “Ohana” taking center stage in his corporate philosophy.

Earlier this year, Salesforce laid off around 8,000 employees tough amid economic headwinds globally. 

At the time, Benioff said, “I wish I offered lifetime employment. But the reality is when you have a big company with 80,000 employees, there are going to be times you have to make a headcount adjustment.”

The layoffs at Salesforce have been mirrored all over the tech industry, with Meta and Google communicating the cuts in a similarly apologetic mannor. 

But it seems Benioff has taken a U-turn on this soft stance and is now taking cues from Musk’s method.

According to Insider, Salesforce’s latest draft business plan includes lifting profit margins over 30% by capping headcount growth, reducing general and administrative expenses, sales and marketing spending, and cutting back on real estate. 

“Run lean and mean” and “spend like it’s yours,” are some of the stern words of wisdom the document dictates to employees. 

Salesforce’s Q4 success 

Benioff’s Musk-inspired approach to efficiency seems to be working, with Salesforce reporting strong quarterly results on Wednesday, which exceeded expectations. 

The software giant’s revenue climbed 14% to $8.38 billion and it doubled its share repurchase to $20 billion.

The results were met with a cautiously optimistic response from Elliot Management, one of the several activist investors that had previously been putting pressure on management to improve profit margins and cash flow. 

The investment company that manages more than $55 billion of assets said the results “represents progress towards regaining investor trust”. 

“The acceleration of margin targets, commitment to responsible capital-return priorities, creation of a business transformation committee and disbanding of the M&A committee are necessary steps forward,” a statement read, “but much work remains”.

“Salesforce needs a sustainable leadership plan and a board that demonstrates it can provide accountability through proper oversight,” it added. 

Since he co-founded Salesforce in 1999, Benioff insists that he’s tackled similar economic turbulence, citing to Insider changes he implemented during the Great Recession of 2008 and 2009. 

But he remains optimistic that unlike at Musk’s new dawn at Twitter, doubling down on productivity at Salesforce won’t impact its “Ohana” culture.

“Now we’re having to make slight adjustments,” he said. “And that doesn’t mean that our culture changes, it just means that we have to operate a business. That business is business, but business can be the greatest platform for change.”

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