Abdicating is a Founder's Kryptonite | E154

Leadership is Feminine

Welcome back to Leadership is Feminine! In this engaging episode, Kris Plachy sheds light on a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of running a business: the pitfalls of abdicating responsibilities as a founder. With candor and insight, Kris addresses the vulnerability that arises from handing over crucial aspects of the business and not being actively involved in their management.

Kris highlights the tendency to delegate tasks to others and then disengage, whether it's bookkeeping, graphic design, or other operational functions. She emphasizes the vital role of the founder in maintaining strategic involvement and a clear line of sight into all areas of the business, even when delegating to experts. Kris delves into the potential consequences of complete abdication, such as financial mismanagement, loss of control, and the challenge of replacing key team members who hold all the knowledge.

The episode explores the common tendencies of female founders, especially those from a bootstrapped background, to defer to or feel intimidated by senior hires' expertise. Kris stresses the importance of maintaining an authoritative presence and clear expectations for these roles, ensuring that the founder remains in control and actively engaged. She also addresses the fears and challenges that may prompt founders to shy away from micromanagement and inadvertently slide into complete abdication.

Kris's powerful message resonates as she urges founders to embrace a leadership role, not by doing everything themselves, but by effectively leading and holding all team members accountable to the business's core vision and results. The episode serves as a wake-up call for founders to recognize and rectify instances of abdication that may be leaving their business vulnerable.

"You're still in charge. And if you're in charge, you've got to show up. You have to be present in that relationship."

Key Takeaways From This Episode

1. Defining Abdication Within Your Business: Common areas and roles, recognizing what it looks like, and the consequences it has

2. Hiring Senior Leaders and Delegating Responsibility: Ensuring understanding of the strategic vision and the results expected

3. Balancing autonomy: The need for structure and accountability in senior roles

4. Not Abdicating Doesn’t Have to Mean Micromanaging: Having a plan and not simply abdicating responsibilities

5. Leading and Managing as a Founder/CEO: Inviting broader and bigger results through leadership

6. Maintaining presence: Being present in the relationship without needing to know how to do the job