1 � of � 8 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 ? “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 The term refers to the unhealthy change this, condition that afflicts many nonprofits we’ve always whose founder(s) / leader(s) maintain a done it this way! stronghold on organizational leadership. When there is great resistance from a member or members of an Auxiliary/ I’ve been on the Association executive to transition to new Auxiliary for years. ideas, necessary changes, revisions to By- We don’t need to Laws, it is often known as Founder’s change that! Syndrome. 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.
� of � 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 of 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 organization. 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 organization, 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 organization. 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
� of � 3 8 • 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 ownership 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 others. AND/OR • Organizations whose leaders cannot or will not Transition to the next level as the organization 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
4 � of � 8 • 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 organization. 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 one 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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