Many founders start to question the fit with their role at some point. It happens when the company grows, when new stakeholders join and your role drifts in one direction. Or when you step into sales, investor relations or operations because someone has to.
For a short stretch that is fine. When it becomes the permanent situation, it drains motivation and it is a common route into burnout. Review your role regularly and keep it aligned with what the company needs and what you need.
Jeremy Stoppelman, CEO of Yelp, put it plainly. You have to be very nimble and very open minded.
Check in with yourself
- Do you know your strengths?
- Where do you add the most value to the company?
- How does that relate to your current role and daily work?
- What brings you energy, and what drains it?
- What would you like to delegate, stop or outsource?
- If you stepped into a role temporarily, is there a deadline and a plan to hand it over?
Acting on your role
- Track for two weeks what gives energy and what takes it. Then decide what you stop doing or hand over.
- Speak up. Discuss it with your co-founders, your team, peers or a coach, to sort your thoughts and set priorities.
- A strengths analysis helps to see what you should do, and what someone else should do.
- Book tip. Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman.
