This article is the eighteenth in the Startup Series on FirstPost’s Tech2 section and first appeared on June the 19th, 2017.
Both business and sport celebrate stars. In sport, especially football, star performers are often traded for huge sums of money, without regard to the fact that football is a team sport. The history of player trading shows that too many “stars” fail, when placed in the context of another team than their last one that let them shine. Startups are a team sport too, and founder conflict can sometimes arise from one “star” disrupting the team.
In an earlier column, I had written about a founder and her challenges with the technology lead. She had given the tech lead co-founder status and given him a considerable chunk of equity. Much conflict later, she had to part ways with him. That did not come without a lot of legal trouble and negotiation. The delay in resolving the conflict also derailed some of her timelines.
Are stars, especially uncooperative, uncollaborative and egotistic ones, worth it in a startup founding team? And what happens when you, as a co-founder, find yourself wasting altogether too much time on resolving team conflict due to a disruptive “star”?
Such conflict, if repeated or persistent, obviously does not bode well for the long term future of the startup. It is therefore best addressed when it first arises because if it is not nipped in the bud, you might find yourself expending too much energy on non-value generating activities rather than on core business issues.
Most people however do not relish confrontation, leave alone interfering in conflict and resolving it. So how can one approach this unwitting role of being a “peacemaker”?
As a first step, give yourself some time out. Separate yourself from the situation and take time to think clearly about the long term and ask these questions: Who in the team has a good attitude about working long term in a rapidly changing environment; who brings their competence to the work; whose ego hampers their delivery even though they may be competent; who is likely to be a better ambassador for the company in its growth years some time down the line; whom can you see yourself speaking and working with everyday for the next foreseeable future. These are deceptively simple questions with meaningful answers that bring clarity. In exploring all this, do not just go with your rational mind e.g. thinking the “star” may be irreplaceable or very expensive to replace. Pay heed to your feelings and your gut feeling e.g. does the “star” make you uncomfortable enough to avoid him or her altogether?
Consider the implications of breaking a relationship now on not-very-friendly terms. Can it bring you or your startup reputational damage? Will the break hurt a friendship? Will it shut doors to potential customers and investors for you? How will you protect yourself and the startup from the fallout?
Further, calmly assess the complete cost – legal, time, money – of getting rid of the “star” or indeed people that are conflicting with the start. Does the person have equity? Did the person do a lot of sweat equity work? What legal protections did you put in place for the business? If the person is a shareholder, what is your written and/ or implicit agreement? If you have been reading this column series, you will know we have discussed these issues in various columns and the importance of thinking of these challenges right when forming the startup and creating founder agreements.
Assess also the cost of replacing the person or persons now or later in time. This cost should not just be monetary but also the cost of delays, lost motivation, the risk of others quitting because they cannot bear to work with the troublesome star. The non-monetary costs are not quantifiable but could make or break your startup.
Last but not the least, remind yourself why you are creating the startup. I have often helped concerned founders visualise the possibility of a shattered vision if the bad situation persists. It is remarkably effective in spurring them out of paralysis and into effective and immediate action.
Once you have built a clear picture of the present and the future — with or without the “star” — you will be able to make a decision that is justifiable, fair, and, above all, taken in the best interest of the business and not just to pander to egos at war.