Even the most astute investors grapple with how to catalyze change in founder-led companies, even when everyone – including the founders – stands to benefit financially and professionally from growing the company.
The architects of thriving businesses, founders share the common thread of having built successful enterprises from the ground up—a feat often elusive for many who attempt it.
These founder-led enterprises bear distinctive hallmarks, where founders wield significant influence over key business decisions, imprinting their personality on the organizational culture to a remarkable extent.
Yet, a recent study in Scientific Reports (October 2023) about the impact of founder personalities on startup success has debunked the notion that founders possess uniform personality traits. Successful founders come in a diverse array of personalities, resulting in the rich tapestry of cultures within founder-led companies.
There is no one trick pony for guiding founders through effective business transformation. The key lies in delving deep into understanding what drives each founder personally and professionally and helping them design change strategies they can live with and own. It is crucial to:
1. Build a trusted relationship with the founder, grounded in appreciation for their successes and acceptance of their larger-than-life human foibles.
2. Treat organizational changes for the founder with the respect accorded to significant life changes, because their company is often a huge part of their identity and life.
3. Tailor change strategies that resonate with a founder’s unique perspective, life experience, and personality.
Regardless of whether an organization is led by its founder or seasoned professionals, it follows a common trajectory of development and maturity. Sustaining business and financial growth necessitates the evolution of the organizational system—from strategy and structure to roles, processes, metrics, rewards, and people practices.
Founders play a pivotal role in either facilitating or impeding this necessary evolution. At a certain point in the company’s growth trajectory, the founder’s willingness to adjust their mindset and relinquish control significantly influences the organization’s ability to adapt and thrive. Embracing positive change and getting out of the way become a strategic imperative for founders navigating the complex landscape of organizational scaling and growth.
Guiding Founders to Navigate Growth by Getting Out of Their Own Way
