Happy Thursday, 👋
Why do so many traditional leadership techniques fail in startups? The reason is simple: startups are uniquely dynamic. Unlike the methodical and predictable world of large corporations, startups thrive on agility, rapid innovation, and the ability to pivot at a moment’s notice, powered by small, skilled teams driving exponential growth. It's not uncommon for founders to struggle with leadership strategies that fit this distinctive environment. While traditional leadership books and articles from Fortune 50 CEOs are valuable, startup leaders may find more relevant guidance in areas which closely resemble similar fast-paced, uncertain circumstances, areas such as the military and professional sports.
Military Leadership: General Paul Van Riper’s Lesson
One compelling example of leadership in dynamic conditions comes from General Paul Van Riper. Tasked with playing the enemy in a high-stakes military simulation designed to test an advanced, technology-based command system, Van Riper embraced a strategy of decentralized decision-making. Realizing his success hinged on rapid adaptation, he empowered his team members to respond creatively in real-time.
Van Riper described his approach as being "in command but out of control." He set the overarching direction but avoided micromanaging every action. Consequently, his teams devised unconventional solutions, such as using motorcycle messengers to bypass traditional communication lines, employing civilian boats to launch unexpected attacks, and reviving World War II tactics to discreetly launch aircraft.
The results were extraordinary. Van Riper's decentralized approach swiftly overcame the high-tech strategy to a point where it's rumored the military kept restarting the simulation out of disbelief. Having confidence in the team to deploy creative ideas as needed can allow a startup to move fast and overcome challenges.
Great founders need to realize once they recruit a highly skilled team, they need to provide a general overall command in terms of direction but delegate control of the day-to-day to those working on the front lines of the company. By avoiding micromanagement, founders create an environment where team members focus on execution rather than continually pausing to justify or explain their actions. Hiring people capable of functioning independently and trusting them to do their jobs effectively translates into accelerated progress and better overall results.
Sports Leadership: Letting Players Play
Professional sports provide another excellent analogy for startup leadership. Coaches never step onto the field to play every position; instead, they strategize, script plays, and rely on each team member to perform based on training and real-time judgments.
The best coaches understand their role is strategic rather than operational. They allow their players to adapt plays to real-time scenarios. After each game, teams debrief to discuss decisions, creating an ongoing learning loop that enhances future performance.
Great coaches also realize players have a much different perspective on the game. Standing on the sidelines evaluating a play is vastly different from being on the field with a linebacker sprinting toward you. By explicitly acknowledging these perspective differences, leaders foster trust and empowerment within their teams. Startup founders should similarly recognize that team members on the front lines approach tasks differently than the founder, whose viewpoint encompasses broader strategic considerations.
Just as a professional sports team would not be successful if the coach tried to play every position, the same goes for startup teams. Great founders realize the team will make mistakes and they are not going to win every game. Instead of getting upset with the team or individuals, look for ways to improve. Sometimes things just go wrong or the unexpected happens. Every championship team makes mistakes during a game, but the successful teams embraced mistakes as opportunities to improve.
Limitations of Traditional Leadership Books
Many leadership books focus on executives managing large, established corporations with extensive resources and slow-moving strategies. While these insights can be valuable, they often fail to address the realities faced by startups, such as rapid change, tight budgets, small teams, and the necessity for continuous adaptation. For instance, hierarchical structures, heavily bureaucratic decision-making processes, and resource-intensive project management approaches can stifle the agility and responsiveness essential to a startup’s success.
Founders seeking practical leadership advice should supplement traditional corporate strategies with lessons from dynamic, adaptive fields. Military and sports leadership models offer directly applicable insights, helping startup leaders navigate uncertainty more effectively.
Final Thoughts: Command Vision, Delegate Control
Startup leadership demands an understanding of how to guide teams effectively without dictating every detail. Embracing the concept of being "in command but out of control" empowers teams to act decisively, creatively, and quickly. By studying and applying leadership techniques from military and sports contexts, founders can significantly improve their ability to manage dynamic situations and build resilient, agile teams capable of turning challenges into victories. Ultimately, great startup leaders understand that effective leadership is about being firmly in command of the vision, while confidently delegating control of achieving that vision to their team.
Wishing everyone a great weekend,
-Eric.