<p class="ingestion featured-caption">Elon Musk.Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Elon Musk will co-lead the Trump White House's Department of Government Efficiency.</li><li>Musk is known for his intense work ethic and willingness to make drastic cuts to save costs.</li></ul><p>President-elect Donald Trump tapped Elon Musk to co-lead a new <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-doge-leaderboard-federal-government-spending-trump-2024-11">Department of Government Efficiency</a> to reduce government spending along with businessman Vivek Ramaswamy.</p><p>At companies like X, Tesla, and <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/former-spacex-employee-working-for-elon-musk-2017-11">SpaceX</a>, Musk is known for modeling an intense work ethic and making drastic workforce reductions to lower costs. One longtime <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-exec-quits-elon-musk-car-company-hints-hardcore-culture-2024-8">Tesla executive</a> who quit in August wrote on LinkedIn that working there was "extraordinary" but "not for the faint of heart."</p><p>Here's how Musk has managed efficiency in his own business ventures.</p><p>Musk, X, Tesla, and SpaceX did not immediately respond to requests for comment.</p>