Founder’s syndrome is, unfortunately, a common condition that can afflict profit and nonprofit companies alike. It can interfere with the growth and progress of the organization and lead to stagnation. As your organization struggles to adapt itself to a changing business landscape, this affliction can also put the organization’s future at risk. What is nonprofit founder’s syndrome, though? And how do you know if you have it? Most importantly, can you do something about it? Let’s find out.

What Is Founder’s Syndrome?

Founder’s syndrome is described as a situation where one individual, usually the founder, CEO, senior leader, or executive director, holds a disproportionate amount of power in an organization. This individual may also resist any efforts to grant others authority or assume leadership positions. They may be unwilling to step down from their current position and hand over the reins to someone else.

What Are the Classic Signs and Symptoms of Nonprofit Founder’s Syndrome?

Depending on the person involved, the nonprofit founder’s syndrome can create a host of problems for the organization. Some of the most common signs and symptoms that your organization might be confronted with this issue include:

• The founder of the organization takes all the important decisions, inviting little input from other people.
• The founder acts as a “super-volunteer,” carrying out every major task on their own, instead of delegating it to others.
• The founder may be providing a significant portion of funds for the organization and bearing most of the risk.
• The founder has a tendency to dismiss any ideas or initiatives presented by other people especially new and younger leaders.
• There is no clear succession plan for the organization.
• The staff or members of the board of directors are primarily loyal to the founder, instead of the stakeholders, and inclined to go along with the founder’s suggestions.

The biggest problem that this syndrome poses is that it puts the organization in a vulnerable position. When one person assumes so much of the responsibility and influence, it can compromise the organization’s future. The main question here is – if something were to happen to this founder, how will the organization move forward?

It’s important to understand that most founders who adopt this strategy do not do it because they have an overwhelming desire to control everything. Instead, the nonprofit founder’s syndrome is a byproduct of fear.

Often, the founder of an organization feels afraid that the organization cannot cope without their continued guidance and support. It can also be a matter of control. For instance, this founder has invested so much of their life into the organization that they do not have a plan B for what they will do when they leave it. Their fear prevents them from acknowledging younger and smarter talents. This fear can prove detrimental to the organization and interfere with its growth and sustainability.

What Can You Do About It?

If your organization is suffering from nonprofit founder’s syndrome, there are several ways to treat it. You’ll have to arrange for an intervention that allows the founder and the rest of the team to confront the problem. Based on the response, you can prepare a succession plan and consider restructuring the organization to redistribute authority. The founder should be invited to play a central role in the transition process that takes place here. Given their knowledge and experience, they should be treated as valuable resources. However, they should also be encouraged to entrust their responsibilities to other people.

If you are interested in learning more about this syndrome, reach out to the team at Stratagems. We can help you diagnose if you are suffering from this problem and figure out the necessary steps to cure it.