In the dynamic landscape of Silicon Valley, where innovation and accelerated growth are absolute priorities, a new management trend has sparked discussions among founders and CEOs: the contrast between "Founder Mode" and "Manager Mode"
Inspired by Steve Jobs, the executive Brian Chesky, co-founder and CEO of Airbnb, recently reignited the debate by sharing his personal experience on how leaders should position themselves within their companies, mainly in times of expansion. Chesky chose a more involved path in daily operations, what he calls "Founder Mode", in opposition to the more traditional model, the "Manager Mode", widely adopted by large corporations
After all, which of these two management modes is the most suitable for technology companies facing the challenge of maintaining innovation at an accelerated pace while also expanding into new markets? And to what extent can or should a founder maintain control over the minutiae of the operation
No "Founder Mode", the founder positions themselves as a central piece, directly involved in strategic and operational decisions. Chesky, for example, highlighted that this ongoing involvement was crucial to preserving the innovative essence of Airbnb, even with its exponential growth. One of the recurring practices in this model is the holding of "skip-level meetings", where the CEO connects directly with operational levels, what facilitates agile decisions aligned with the company's original vision
On the other hand, no "Manager Mode", the CEO delegates daily execution to leaders of specific areas, focusing on broader strategies, as market expansion and large-scale product development. Although efficient in larger companies, this model runs the risk of distancing the leader from the operation and compromising agility and the preservation of the initial culture
The big question is: how long is the "Founder Mode" sustainable in expanding companies? As a startup grows, maintaining such a deep involvement can become unfeasible and exhausting for the founder, that will need to delegate more responsibilities to specialized leaders. Brian Chesky and Steve Jobs themselves managed to maintain the "Founder Mode" in large companies, but they adapted their approaches, ensuring a balance between product involvement and trust in their teams
Companies like Airbnb, Tesla and Google explore hybrid ways, where the founder participates in key decisions, but delegates operational management to experienced leaders. This format balances innovation with scalable growth, without losing the essence of the company. Elon Musk is an example of how founders can adjust their involvement as their companies become more complex
In the end, the true challenge is to find the balance between "Founder Mode" and "Manager Mode", depending on the stage of development of the company. The biggest mistake would be to insist on just one management model without considering the specific needs of the business
