As businesses grow from small to medium, and eventually to large, the responsibilities and skills required from founders and leadership evolve significantly. Within the EOS framework, this shift in roles is a natural progression as a business’s Vision, People, and Traction Components expand. The capabilities that served you well with 10 employees and 50 customers are different from those necessary to lead a team of 100 with a customer base of 5,000. But recognizing when to pivot and adapt can be challenging—growth is often gradual, making it difficult to pinpoint the moment when you need to shift focus to ensure your Vision stays aligned with your long-term goals. As founders and leaders, we must ask ourselves: are we equipped to manage the company’s current growth?
The Visionary Founder Paradox
This brings us to the “Visionary Founder Paradox,” a phenomenon that we often see within organizations aiming for scalability and enduring success through EOS. The Visionary Founder Paradox describes what happens when the founder’s initial skills, which were essential for launching and growing the business, begin to hold the business back from scaling further. In EOS terms, it’s the point at which a founder’s unique abilities become constraints, limiting the company’s potential for achieving Traction and optimizing the Accountability Chart.
We define the Visionary Founder Paradox as the moment when the founder’s original skills, mindset, and expertise, critical for the initial stages, end up impeding the business’s scalability. When left unchecked, this can compromise EOS Components like the People Component, where the right people in the right seats are crucial for sustainable growth.
A Little Clarity on the Paradox
Despite its name, the Visionary Founder Paradox isn’t limited to highly visionary or creative companies. Within EOS, this paradox can affect virtually any business striving for scalability. Often, founders and leadership teams are deeply skilled within their industry. For 95% of businesses, these technical skills are instrumental in achieving early traction and growth. However, the paradox emerges when the founder’s role requires a shift from working “in” the business to working “on” it—something EOS principles encourage as part of the Traction Component. It is at this stage that founders need to focus on cultivating a broader strategic view, ensuring their leadership team is aligned, and maintaining laser focus on their Rocks to drive progress.
Many visionary founders struggle here; they stay within their technical comfort zone and resist the evolution that their own success demands. This can lead to feelings of discomfort or even dissatisfaction with their role, as they no longer feel confident in the skills that now matter most. Consequently, they may fall into leadership traps: micromanaging, becoming overly involved in details (even if they don’t align with their own roles in the Accountability Chart), stifling innovation, and missing opportunities in ripe markets. Ironically, their past success can become the very thing that limits their ability to implement EOS effectively.
Warning Signs
If you’re concerned that the Visionary Founder Paradox may be affecting your company, here are a few warning signs to watch for:
- Employee or Customer Retention Issues: Are you noticing turnover among both your team and customers? This could signal that the Vision is not being fully executed or aligned across the organization.
- Lopsided Growth: Are the parts of the business within the founder’s comfort zone thriving while other areas lag? This can indicate an imbalance in the Traction Component.
- Stagnating Business Development: If growth has plateaued, it could mean that the founder’s skillset is not aligned with the company’s needs for next-level growth.
- Founder Dissatisfaction: If founders feel overwhelmed, underprepared, or simply no longer enjoy their work, it may signal that their role needs a re-evaluation, perhaps using the People Analyzer™ or a restructured Accountability Chart.
What Can You Do About It?
There are three primary paths forward for founders experiencing this paradox within an EOS-driven company:
- Upskill to Broaden Knowledge: Founders can commit to developing a wider skillset, focusing on strategic leadership rather than technical expertise alone. With EOS, this often means stepping into the Visionary role more fully, supporting the Integrator, and fostering cohesion within the leadership team.
- Bring in Experienced Leaders: Begin building a strength-based leadership team by bringing in individuals who possess the skills needed for growth. Using the EOS People Component, focus on ensuring you have the right people in the right seats who can help drive the company towards achieving its Vision.
- Carve Out a Focused Role: Some founders may find fulfillment by focusing on the areas they love most, leaving the day-to-day leadership to others with the skill set to drive growth. In EOS, this could mean transitioning into a Visionary role while empowering an Integrator to handle execution and alignment.
Where to Find Help
If you’re interested in upskilling or strengthening your leadership team to overcome the Visionary Founder Paradox, consider working with an EOS Implementer or GamePlan, a consulting group that understands these challenges deeply. They can help you structure your Accountability Chart, align your Vision, and work on achieving Traction. As your business grows, the challenges you face will only increase in complexity. Addressing them head-on with experienced advisors and a structured system can help you realize the growth potential EOS makes possible.
About the Authors
Mark Powell
Mark is the CEO of GamePlan Success Advisors and an experienced strategic leader. He has an extensive background in the tech sector and a track record of helping companies achieve scalable growth.
James Scofield
Co-host of Diagnosing The Workplace: Not Just An HR Podcast and President of Roman 3 Solutions, James has over 15 years of experience helping businesses optimize their people and culture for long-term success.