Title: Founder’s Syndrome: How Organizations Suffer…and Can Recover (Part I) – How Matters
Headings: Founder’s Syndrome: How Organizations Suffer…and Can Recover (Part I)
Founder’s Syndrome: How Organizations Suffer…and Can Recover (Part I)
Author: Jennifer Lentfer

Content: Founder’s Syndrome: How Organizations Suffer…and Can Recover (Part I) – How Matters
Good Practice
Founder’s Syndrome: How Organizations Suffer…and Can Recover (Part I)
March 24, 2013
March 25, 2013
What is “founder’s syndrome”? Founder’s syndrome occurs when an organization or team operates primarily according to the personality of a key person, such as the founder or director, rather than focused on its overall mission. Dealing with founder’s syndrome is a typical problem among start-up or small organizations. It is also often a natural part of an organization’s life cycle. The start-up or growth phase of any initiative requires a strong, passionate personality—someone who can make fast decisions and motivate people to action. Once this period is over, however, the decision-making needs of the organization or team change. This requires mechanisms for shared responsibility and authority. It is when those decision-making mechanisms don’t change that founder’s syndrome becomes an issue.