Musk's Ex-President Reveals "Jerk" Family Talk

Jon McNeill, former president of Tesla, candidly recounts his departure from the company in late 2017, spurred by a family intervention that revealed his personal toll from working under Elon Musk. McNeill described the intense period of producing the Model 3, during which he witnessed Musk's extreme mood swings and catatonic states, while also managing the assembly line.

Despite the challenging environment, McNeill's experience at Tesla, and later at Lyft as COO, solidified his reputation as a corporate fixer. He credits luck and strategic connections for his diverse career trajectory, which includes early work at Bain & Co. and founding Sterling Collision Centers.

McNeill has now codified his lessons into a book, "The Algorithm: The Hypergrowth Formula That Transformed Tesla, Lululemon, General Motors, and SpaceX," published in late March 2026. The algorithm emphasizes questioning requirements, streamlining processes, and automating last, a philosophy he says Musk deployed effectively at Tesla and SpaceX.

His tenure also involved navigating complex issues, such as fixing Tesla's Model X falcon wing doors and dealing with Autopilot's safety concerns. McNeill's insights were sought by GM's CEO Mary Barra, influencing battery production and the assessment of their self-driving unit, Cruise, which faced significant setbacks and management changes in 2023.

McNeill remains interested in Musk's current direction at Tesla, particularly the reliance on cameras for autonomous driving, suggesting it carries more risk than traditional methods. He stresses the importance of balancing ambitious goals with ethical considerations, a principle he learned firsthand during his time at Tesla.