Founder Mode

Happy Friday,

Venture capital loves founder-led companies. Why?

Founders tend to be vision-driven vs goal oriented. They have a higher tolerance for risk, a greater sense of urgency, a stronger emotional attachment to the organization, more intimate product and market knowledge, a strong cultural influence, and a longer-term perspective. They have the leadership skills to build the plane and get it off the runway.

Professional leaders tend to have less of these, but once in the air, they know how to fly and minimize turbulence, often bringing the critical high level leadership skills many founders lack, especially as an organization scales.

If you're a professional leader and want to stand out from your peers, you can turbocharge your leadership by adopting a founders mentality. Turn on Founders Mode, and you'll stand out in the best possible way. Here's how:

·      First, deeply immerse yourself in your organization’s history, vision, and core values. Your words and decisions will better align with the organization’s fundamental essence. Also, build personal connections with long-time employees and early customers to gain the insights that founders naturally possess.

. To increase urgency, make 'why-not-now-in-half-the-time' the default mindset you share.

·      Develop intimate product and market knowledge by adopting a more hands-on approach. This might involve spending time in different departments, engaging directly with customers, and more personal involvement in projects.

·      To emulate a founder's risk tolerance and drive for innovation, create "safe spaces" for experimentation within your team/organization. Encourage calculated risk-taking and be willing to champion bold ideas, even if they challenge conventional wisdom.

·      Cultivate a long-term perspective. While there’s always pressure to deliver short-term results, try to balance that with strategic decisions that prioritize long-term sustainability and growth.

·      Once again, communication is key. You need to be able to articulate the company's vision and values with the passion and authenticity typical of founders. The idea is to inspire employees and stakeholders, and foster a strong, cohesive culture.

Punchline: Be wary of adopting leadership practices that prioritize process over passion or that create distance between you and your teams. Try to retain/reclaim the agility, passion, and deep involvement that characterized the company in its early stages. A culture of close collaboration, where leaders of ALL departments are deeply connected with the work being done, will lead to better outcomes and unlock greater innovation, stronger team alignment, greater loyalty, and sustained success.

Have a greaaaaat weekend,

Dave

Your feedback and blowback are welcome: dave@goodnewsfriday.com

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