Leadership is all about growth. Founding and leading a company are two different things. A founder needs to learn a few things which can help them to grow as a leader.
It is quite difficult to transform from a founder to a CEO because some people are all about visions but they are not good at management, communication, and other leadership skills. To run a company one needs to get in balance with both aspects.
Well, leading a business is not as simple as it seems to be and it is normal to make mistakes along the way. No one is a born leader; even Steve Jobs struggled when he was first appointed as the CEO of Apple as he was fired for his behavior.
The key is to learn from every mistake and apply it to be a better self and leader. Following are the changes that will make a founder a more successful CEO
Less Dabble and More Manage
During the initial days of a start-up, it's all about getting things done. The founding members had to perform every task by themselves even though they don't have the skills to do it.
As the company grows and you start hiring specialist people you might feel a little unproductive but don't worry because delegation is a great sign for a leader. Now it will be easy for you to focus on managing and leading the company.
Give Up Control
When you start a company, you are the one who does most of the work, and when you hire a specialist it becomes hard for you to give up control because you have been doing that work for a long time.
However, it is hard for a single person to have control over everything and it is important to give up control if you want your team and your company to grow.
You need to learn to work with different people and respect their opinion and if you want to add your input and simply ask them how you can help instead of forcing your idea. Giving up control is one of the best ways to be a more effective leader instantly.
You stop trying to win the popularity contest
Emerging start-ups are like families. When you work with a small group of people every day toward the same goal you tend to form a bond. As your team grows from 7 to 70, you are no longer the ringleader of a small platoon you became the general of an army.
New people might not know you as your original team did and even if you are the most humble person in the office some people will never like you and it's fine. You don't have to be everyone's best friend, all you have to do is to treat everyone with respect and they will respect you as a leader.
You begin to challenge people
Once you stop worrying whether everyone loves you or not, you start thinking about how you can push your team toward growth. Well, growth is always uncomfortable but it's your job as a CEO to inspire your team for the growth of your company. Learn to challenge employees and give them the resources they need to succeed.
You start giving credit
You might be the founder and CEO of your company but your startup isn't about you. Your leadership, vision, and attitude are holding the company together but you need to realize that it's your team who is putting effort.
All top CEOs understand that they should not sit at the top and pass orders but help others to do their best. As your company evolves, take a step back to focus more on support and less on oversight as it will help your team to work more efficiently.