The “Founder Mode” Obsession is Misdirected
I've seen it everywhere: 'Founder Mode' is glorified as the holy grail of leadership. But let me tell you, it’s not just overhyped—it’s dangerous. As an entrepreneur and seasoned executive, I’ve seen firsthand how this obsession with "Founder Mode" creates toxic environments and misdirects focus. The issue isn’t about being a founder or a manager—it’s about leadership, awareness, and alignment.
Here’s what matters
Being deeply connected with and knowledgeable about your organization.
Having the courage to lead from the front lines.
Knowing when to direct, when to guide, and when to let your people excel.
The solution
CEOs and leaders need to do their jobs.
Going a little deeper
Much of the conversation around Founder Mode highlights going deep into your organization. Absolutely! One of my advisors shared how the leadership team of a manufacturing company he led always started visits on the shop floor. The executives would split up, spend the first hour talking with operators, supervisors, and engineers, listening closely to what they had to say. They asked questions and gathered unfiltered feedback. The key? Leadership had deep knowledge of the company's products, customers, and technology—there was no bluffing them. This insight allowed them to connect the dots in later meetings and address any misalignment, not to point fingers, but to ensure everyone was aligned.
Knowing your company’s products, customers, and technology is essential, and the idea of simply hiring good people and letting them loose is overrated. Leadership isn’t just about finding the right talent; it’s about knowing when to direct, when to guide, and when to step back and let your people excel. Even the best hires need leadership that strikes the right balance. They might not be experts in every area, but they should compensate with a deep understanding of your business and a curiosity to learn. Founders often bring this instinctively, but great organizations go beyond that—hiring people who are not only skilled but also eager to grow.
Leadership is about balance—knowing when to step in and when to step back. Captain David Marquet, who took command of the struggling USS Santa Fe, quickly realized the dangers of a leader-follower dynamic when his crew followed a wrong order without question. Marquet shifted to Intent-Based Leadership, empowering his crew to think and act like leaders. This change transformed the Santa Fe from the worst-performing submarine to the best, achieving top operational performance and fostering leadership at every level.
Whether you’re a founder or a CEO stepping into an established organization, the goal is to build alignment through trust and clear communication, not through micromanagement. Leadership isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about creating an environment where your people can execute effectively once they understand the mission. That’s how you allow them to thrive, innovate, and drive the company forward without constant oversight. Alignment empowers teams to operate independently, but always with the bigger picture in mind.
Lastly, my co-founder, Stacie Valentien, shares her experience with the challenges women face in leadership:
We see it all the time: men get celebrated for being assertive and decisive, but when women show the same traits, they’re often called "difficult" or "emotional." It’s not about whether women can lead—it’s all about how they’re perceived. Women in leadership are always walking a tightrope, trying to be strong yet approachable, dealing with expectations that don’t seem to apply to men.
The real issue isn’t whether women can lead; it’s the way people react when they do exactly what men are praised for. We all need to check our biases and focus on results. At the same time, founders can’t let their personalities become bigger than the business. It's not about building a cult of personality—it's about building a company.
We’ve seen what happens when "Founder Mode" takes over: it can tank a company’s value, sometimes by as much as 75% in just a few years. When leadership becomes more about the personality at the top than about strategy, alignment, and empowering the team, even the strongest brands can fall apart. Real leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice or hanging on to control—it’s about building long-term success by creating trust, alignment, and shared purpose.
If we want companies to last, we must move past the Founder Mode myth and focus on what really matters: leading through people, not ego.
