WHY 'FOUNDER MODE' IS NOT A ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL SOLUTION TO LEADERSHIP

The founder-driven approach can boost a business's growth, but transitioning from "founder mode" to a balanced leadership style is essential for sustained success and scaling.

- KRISTOPHER TAIT

If you haven’t caught the dialogue around “founder mode” of late, let me get you up to speed: Brian Chesky, founder and CEO of Airbnb, has recently been celebrated for his refusal to step back from the driver’s seat amidst assertions that his decision to retain control is one of the reasons for Airbnb’s enviable growth. Some have even compared him to Steve Jobs, with Chesky apparently downright thrilled by the association. But before we champion founder mode as the be-all and end-all for creating a unicorn, let alone building a successful business, we need to explore and dissect why and when it works and also why it can, at times, do a disservice to both the employees and the business itself.

BUT FIRST THINGS FIRST - THE POSITIVES.

Yes, founders have a vision, and yes, they’re uniquely positioned — and invested — when it comes to turning that vision into reality. They’re also typically purpose-driven, which is no small thing in the entrepreneurial world. After all, not everyone can buy into something in depth when they aren’t the ones who conceived it. Take a look at Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, comments from earlier this year, in which he told Gen Z grads to lower their expectations about work. His comments were met with some backlash, but they drive home the point that few people will be as committed to the cause as the company’s founder.