The Founder Mode

The founder comes back. Or never left. Either way, they operate in “founder mode” — which means the rules don’t apply to them.

They skip the process. Override the committee. Ignore the data. “I built this company and I know what it needs.”

Founder mode is autocracy with a TED Talk. It works when the founder’s instincts are good. It destroys when they’re not. And nobody in the room can tell the founder their instincts are wrong, because the last person who tried is updating their LinkedIn.