Opinions expressed by entrepreneurs’ colleagues are their very own.
In September 2024 Blog postPaul Graham of Y Combinator describes the benefits of the practical kind of leadership, in which the founders are deeply involved in every aspect of their company’s activities. This method was advertised by some – similar to Elon Musk and Airbnb Brian Chesky – as the secret to their success.
But here is the reality: the founders are only people. They are not magical, infallible beings, and this beloved approach to leadership can often do more harm than good. Instead, I think that the founders should focus on developing the culture of kindness, honesty and enabling among their employees. This approach has more power to create a lasting business than ever the founder.
The danger of the founder’s mode
The idea of the founder’s mode is that the founder’s passion, knowledge and a sense of diligence are irreplaceable – something that managers or other leaders simply cannot repeat themselves. Although in some cases it may be true, it is dangerous to assume that the founder’s involvement is at all times useful. In fact, when the founders inject to any decision, this can often lead to expensive mistakes.
When my team and I built equipment for our first product company, we made a “optical” decision to push the equipment faster than we should always. The results were lower than starring. It wasted money on too complex equipment, which didn’t succeed quickly, which ends up in a costly modification and a damaged schedule. Sure, the decision could cause a short -term shoot, but in the future it was unbalanced. This is the dark side of the founder’s mode: sometimes the founders, in their need, create decisions that are recklessSimply because they’ll.
Graham claims that the founders should remain involved in order to avoid too much disconnection from the realities of their company. Although I understand the attractiveness of staying in contact, the glorification of this mode can create toxic leadership patterns that encourage the founders to impulsive motion without considering long -term consequences.
The founders are not superhuman and that is good
The founders are not exceptionally prepared to deal with any challenge that their company faces. We fight some things and we are good in others, similar to everyone else. The concept that the founders should consistently make dangerous, practical decisions is not only selfish, but may lead to improper management, especially on the scale of corporations. As the startups increase, the founders must focus less on being a hero who solves every problem, and more on building bands that are entitled to make the right decisions.
This does not mean completely going back – this means understanding your limitations and giving up the belief that you just are the only one you may make great connections. It is about going from being a savior to a company to grow to be a one that establishes a vision and enables others to perform it.
The importance of building a culture culture
Instead of the founder’s mode, I suggest a different approach to leadership, based on kindness and respect. Startups are notoriously under high pressure, in which overwork is often seen as a badge of honor. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The founders can create a culture of kindness – one in which employees feel respected, appreciated and supported, even in difficult times.
Kindness is not about being too generous or indulgent; It’s about basic decency. As a founder, this implies that the schedules and pressure you produce are often arbitrary. It is essential to acknowledge the humanity of your team and run with empathy. It begins with respect for personal time, honoring obligations in the field of mental health and understanding that your team’s well -being is of key importance for the company’s success.
In every company I ran, we have long emphasized that folks with the most gain additional work outside normal hours. If there is urgent work, that is why capital is used – it compensates for the founders and employees the risk and additional time they devote. Employees without capital, on the other hand, shouldn’t feel the burden of unrealistic requirements without compensation or support. If I absolutely need my employees to work outside normal hours, they receive time beyond regulation salary.
Lead with empathy over the ego
In the world of obsession with the founders, it is easy to soak up the myth that the founders differ from all others. But it is time to overthrow this concept. The founder’s mode can work for a handful of known leaders, but for most startups it is a recipe for burnout and bad decision making. Instead of trying all this, the founders should focus on strengthening their teams and conducting kindness.
The best leaders are not those that intervene in every problem heroically, but those that create an environment in which others can develop. Because the startups face the growing pressure to quickly achieve the results, the founders remember well that the sustainable success results from building strong, empathic teams-not from actions as a one-man savior.