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: Their commitment is not to the mission, but to the founder. Board and staff members are unable to answer basic questions about the organization, such as the size of the budget, the major funding sources, the extent of the programs, without checking first with the founder. A casual observer would hear a lot of “I, me, my” in conversation. “ My staff…” “My organization…” “My vision…” It would also not be unusual to hear the words, “Because that is how we have always done it.” There is resistance to any changes that will result in a (perceived or actual) loss of control. There can be a resistance to new staff or outsiders because they are perceived as a threat. There is a (perceived or actual) fear that the organization will become “something we no longer recognize.” Some may ask, “So what’s wrong with that?” And the answer is simple: If the founder is hit by a truck tomorrow, the team or organization is at risk of not being able to continue its programs.