FOUNDERS SYNDROME The role of a creative leader is not to have all - - PDF document

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FOUNDER’S SYNDROME

“The role of a creative leader is not to have all the ideas; it’s to

create a culture where everyone can have ideas and feel that they’re valued.” (Ken Robinson)

What is Founder’s Syndrome?

The term refers to the unhealthy condition that afflicts many nonprofits whose founder(s) / leader(s) maintain a stronghold on organizational leadership. When there is great resistance from a member or members of an Auxiliary/ Association executive to transition to new ideas, necessary changes, revisions to By- Laws, it is often known as Founder’s Syndrome. “When someone with great passion and commitment creates and builds a strong association, members and society benefit. But these founders can turn into their own worst enemies when they refuse to recognize that their organization has “outgrown” them, needing leadership skills the founder does not have or refuses to

• develop. The result? A nasty case of “founder’s syndrome” or

“founderitis”. The cure? A tricky mixture of growth opportunities, board involvement, and a firm delivery method.” Maryll Kleibrink You can’t change this, we’ve always done it this way! Doing things the way they’ve always been done, and thinking the way things have always been thought is not necessarily the best thing for an Auxiliary/Association nor for the healthcare facility it serves. I’ve been on the Auxiliary for years. We don’t need to change that!

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2 8 Founder’s syndrome is a very real problem that can affect the sustainability of Auxiliaries and/or Associations (organization) that evolve around individual(s). [the key word here is ‘evolve’.] Defined as the difficulty faced by organizations where one or more founders maintain disproportionate power and influence. Influence often tends to be more ‘control’ than the latter.
 
 Founder’s Syndrome is part of the normal evolution of any organization. One symptom

• f Founder’s Syndrome is when the organization is strongly identified with the person or

personality of the ‘founder’ and not identified as the mission/vision developed by the

• rganization. 



 Founder’s syndrome is a label normally used to refer to a pattern of behaviour on the part of the founder(s) of an organization that, over time, becomes maladaptive to the successful accomplishment of an organization’s mission. It does not refer to a medical condition. A founder’s passion, charisma, dedication, initially essential to the success of an

• rganization, becomes a limiting factor. The founder’s domination of the decision

making process may frustrate effective and inclusive group decision making. Have you ever been asked to sit on a board and then after the first or second meeting you begin to wonder why they asked you. They don’t want your critical thinking but only your vote if it falls in ‘favour’ with the person who asked you to sit on that board. Time to run!!!
 What May Lead to Founder’s Syndrome?

• A strong leader who finds it difficult to delegate responsibility or develop other

members who could potentially be leaders. 
 
 It is important to note that a Founder may not necessarily be in the President of the

• rganization. A Founder or Founders could be another member or members of the

Board/Executive, i.e. Past President, Treasurer, Secretary, etc. They may be the individual(s) exhibiting the traits/personalities of a Founder. Sometimes an individual comes into a board when it is in crisis mode or floundering. This individual may have the skill set required to put the board back on solid footing, but because of the crisis mode that the organization found itself in, this individual is often treated by the grateful board members as a Founder and is given full authority for the board. AND/ OR


• A reluctance to relinquish strategies and procedures that worked in the past, although

circumstances may dictate new approaches be implemented. AND/OR


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• Not having an effective succession plan. AND/OR

• Where it would not be unusual to hear the words, “That’s not how we’ve always done

it”. AND/OR


• An organization that does not have a strategic plan. Reviewing regularly the

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) gives the board

• wnership to the effectiveness of the direction the organization is heading. AND/OR

• The founder is the decision-maker of all issues with little consideration of input from
• thers. AND/OR

• Organizations whose leaders cannot or will not Transition to the next level as the
• rganization evolves. They may also be reluctant to Transition out of the position

they hold or the organization as a whole. 
 
 It is important however that we recognize that Founders Syndrome is no one’s fault— no founder sets out to damage his or her organization. They are often the way they are because of their great passion, dedication and commitment to the organization. Organizations grow because founders are so passionate, driven, committed to the “cause”. Other Board/executive members who avoid their responsibility as board members in not performing their defined roles may often also be part of the problem. AND/OR


• Sometimes personal agendas come before the organization’s mission / vision. The

founder/leader and the organization are by necessity, so closely aligned that some founders/leaders are unable to see that they are separable from the organization. AND/OR


• Where many of the executive/board members recruited may be friends of the founder
• Nepotism. 



 Board members may have been hand picked by the Founder(s) due to their known loyalty to the Founder(s) or because they are friends of the Founder(s), rather than their skills, fit, or relevant experience. An effective board has members with clearly defined roles and responsibilities. It is important to accept that the board/executive members are not there to merely support the founder/leader, but to bring critical

• thinking. They need to ask the questions that need to be asked - do the checks and

balances for the organization. AND/OR


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• The Auxiliary/Association’s failure to develop and review its’ governance documents

(By-Laws, strategic plan, etc.) ensuring there is flexibility to meet changes within the

• rganization.

What Can We Do To Avoid Founder’s Syndrome?

• The requirement for the development and annual review of all governance
• documents. AND/OR 

• Once a year, conduct a key risk management exercise (i.e. pretend the leader(s)

suddenly left the organization. Who would step in quickly? Where are the files/ records?) AND/OR


• Strategic planning is one of the best ways to engage the Board members. Conduct

regular and realistic strategic planning sessions. 
 
 From time to time it is important that a board looks inward and asks themselves if they have prepared the organization to survive and dare I say thrive without us? If we answer “no,” then we may have somehow made the organization about us, rather than about its’ Mission and Vision. Common sense tells us that it can be irresponsible to run the organization as if we will be around forever. It is simply not fair to the organization, nor to those who benefit from the volunteer work we do. No

• ne is indispensable to the organization. The most responsible approach, would be to

prepare the organization to NOT need us. We should be ever cognizant that we are not the organization, we are merely the caretaker for a set period of time. AND/OR


• Communicate. Ensure ongoing communications between Board members. The

most useful indicator is continued positive feedback from members - you must be doing something right. AND/OR


• Not allowing any one person to control the process or the outcome for the entire

Auxiliary/Association - it is the responsibility of all members to get involved, ask questions, give input, ensure there is accountability. AND/OR


• Ensure there are realistic time limits for executive/board members (2 or 3 years

maximum). AND/OR


• Develop clearly defined job descriptions for all executive/board members. AND/OR 

• Understand and take full responsibility for the role of Board members. Insist on

focused Board training to review the roles and responsibilities of a governing Board. 
 


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5 8 To continue to meet the organization’s Mission and Vision the organization must be willing to evolve through a particular life-cycle of change. However, this evolution cannot occur without first establishing a stable effective board/executive

• infrastructure. AND/OR

• Recruit board members based on skills needed for the position. 



 Board members may be under-qualified, under-informed and/or may be intimidated by the founder and their personality. As the organization evolves the skill set required

• f its’ board/executive members changes also. What skills were once needed has

now changed and evolved into other skills, i.e. At one time we needed persons skilled in manual systems, today we need persons skilled in electronic, computerized

• systems. AND/OR

• Clarify that all executive/board members need to practice the 3 C’s - Communicate,

Consult and work Cooperatively with all members of the executive/board team. AND/ OR


• A provision for training and evaluating executive/board members. AND/OR

• Develop a Succession Plan; groom the future leaders. (Note: it is often suggested

that minimally a succession plan be developed as a back-up plan for unplanned departures of an executive/board member). AND/OR


• As leaders/founders be open to change. 



 The Founder may lose their ability to adapt effectively, becoming reluctant to adopt new strategies and approaches to meet the needs of today’s organization. Don’t be afraid of new ideas or change. New people bring a new perspective and experience to a board and the organization; perspective and experience that is relevant for today’s organizations to survive and thrive.
 
 As a founder you have a great deal of influence, but you should not have a great deal

• f control. Your influence may be exhibited through effective leadership, i.e.

mentoring, idea populating, motivating and delegating. AND/OR


• Boards need to include clauses within their governance documents that address Exit

and/or Removal From Office. AND/OR
 


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• As leaders/founders know how to bow out graciously and take on a new role, i.e.
• Mentors. AND/OR

• Don’t be part of the problem! Don’t take on the traits of a founder.

Negative characteristics of founders:

• Be skeptical about planning, policies, and procedures. They may claim, “These

processes weigh me down.”


• Make reactive, crisis-driven decisions with little input from others.

• Hand pick their Board. See these people as working for the founder as much as

working towards the organization’s mission. Count on whomever seems most loyal and accessible.


• Attract board members through personal connections rather than the organization’s
• mission. 

• May sometimes work to remove or talk down board members who disagree with them.

• Have a very difficult time letting go of the strategies that worked previously in the
• rganization, even if they know the organization can no longer function that way.


 Positive characteristics of founders:

• Founders can be dynamic, driven, and decisive individuals. 

• They carry a clear vision of what their organization can be. 

• They know their healthcare facility’s needs and are passionate about meeting those

needs.
 Basic Principles in Developing Positive Leadership:
 It is the responsibility of executive/board members to ensure that founderitis does not develop in the first place, as much as it is the founder’s responsibility to listen to change.

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• Be willing to ask for and accept help. 

• Be open and accessible to ideas from your Board/Executive and your membership.

• Communicate often and honestly with fellow Board members and your membership

(this is sometimes difficult for crisis-driven, "heroic" leaders). 


• Regularly take time to reflect and learn, particularly about the value in service to
• thers. 

• Don’t be afraid to delegate.

• Mentor within and without (within on the current Board/Executive; without with the

membership or subcommittees).

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8 8 Founder’s Syndrome Scenario Student Rep (By-Law change):

• President: I see on the Agenda, Newbie that you want us to consider adding a

student representative to our Auxiliary Executive. I’m not sure if I understand why we need to do this. Our student volunteers are always welcome to attend our meetings, and none have ever done so.


• Newbie: I thought maybe if they had a more defined role, such as being a voting

member on our Executive we might engage them more in Auxiliary events. It might be great to hear what their ideas are for events, fundraisers or whatever.


• Vice President: I talk to student volunteers all the time and they never mention the
• Auxiliary. I doubt they would really be interested. Wouldn’t that mean we might need

to change our meeting times to evenings, not sure how that would go over.


• President: I agree with Vice President, student volunteers have never talked to me

about wanting to be part of the Auxiliary Executive. Have they asked you Newbie to be on the Auxiliary Executive?


• Newbie: Well no, but are they aware that we even have an Auxiliary or what the

Auxiliary’s mission is?


• President: The Auxiliary By-Laws are on our website for them to read. We always

post our meeting notices in the newsletter and copies are in the volunteer break room.


• Newbie: I wonder if they realize that they are members of the Auxiliary? I wasn’t

sure if I was when I started, until I asked you.


• Vice President: That information is all stated in our By-Laws.

• President: If any student volunteers come to you Newbie and ask, just direct them to
• ur By-Laws on the website. 



 Lets move on to the Mother’s Day Raffle. We desperately need more volunteers who could sell tickets in the mall. We’re running out of volunteers to do this. We used to have lots, now we have just a handful. Anyone have any ideas of where we could find some new volunteers who could sell tickets in the mall on Saturday?