At some point, as the company grows, either the founder\u2019s span of control is stretched to the limit, or investors enter the picture, often with a clear idea of how they would like to<\/p>\n
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scale the company to grow quickly.\u00a0 This happens predictably, either voluntarily in the case of the founder deciding that s\/he needs help at or near the top, or involuntarily when investors insist upon the addition of professional leadership.<\/p>\n
[Email readers, continue here…]<\/em><\/span> If this new executive hire is the first for a founder or founding partners, and if the person is expected to relieve some portion of the that\u00a0 executive workload, there is a predictable and great risk that the first person hired to do so will last only a short time at the company.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve seen this happen so many times, it is almost a rule for me.\u00a0 I warn the entrepreneur to be careful in the interview process, to expose the candidate to people at all levels of the company for buy-in, to be absolutely sure that there is a culture fit.\u00a0 But most important of all, I warn the founder that s\/he must be ready and able to let go, to delegate clearly, and to establish metrics for measuring the performance of the newly hired executive \u2013 but not to interfere with that person\u2019s day to day management unless absolutely necessary.\u00a0 I urge the founder to coach, but not to expect the new executive to be a duplicate in style or perceived ability.<\/p>\n It is an unhappy but common occurrence: the recently hired and trained professional manager is let go, and a new search started.\u00a0 Luckily, in my experience, the second person hired for the job often is much more successful \u2013 usually not because the person is better at the job, but because the founder is more willing to delegate, expecting less a duplication of self.<\/p>\n If this is so common, is it not possible to be aware of the probability, and condition yourself to be more tolerant of someone else\u2019s different style of leadership?\u00a0 It might be a learning opportunity for the founder, often coming from one more experienced in the position and in growing company leadership.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It seems to be a rule, not an exception. The first professional senior manager that an entrepreneur hires to share the growing workload does not last more than a year.\u00a0\u00a0 Why? Entrepreneurs start businesses with a strong vision of what … Continue reading