photo credits @GaryFass
All problems are quite common in organisations because the root cause is us, humans!
Before I founded mindclip behaviour, I coached hundreds of startup founders and executives for over ten years. People think that their organisation's problems are unique, but here is a reality check, they are not. All problems are quite common in most organisations because the root cause is us, humans! Our inability or unwillingness to communicate transparently. I listed the top seven problems below:
Conflicts between founders
Imposter syndrome
Mental wellbeing
Diversity in mindset
Rapid growth
How to motivate others
How to create a fair, safe and transparent organisation
Conflicts between founders can bring down the startup.
The first point is vital to tackle since conflicts between founders can bring down the startup. Founders who know themselves well can understand how their behaviour affects others and take corrective actions to alter their behaviour. They can build trusted relationships with people and solve conflicts when they arise. They are skilled in self-reflection and in the ability to receive and give feedback.
The imposter syndrome
The fear of being found out, i.e. the imposter syndrome, is a belief that you do not deserve what you have achieved. People with narcissistic tendencies will do anything in their power to keep the picture they have painted of themselves alive. They are not open to feedback and believe that feedbacks given with good intentions are lies and that others plans to get them out of power or job. Skills needed: self-reflection and motivation to change behaviour and to look at the underlying reasons for their fears.
Is it more acceptable today to be depressed?
Mental wellbeing is becoming ever so important. I recently discussed with an investor why it is so important, as statistics show that it is the most common reason for sick days in Europe and worldwide. Is it that we have become so healthy that we don't die of heart attacks anymore? Or is it that people did not want to admit before that the reason for the sick leave was depression? Is it more acceptable today to be burned-out or depressed than ten years ago? Probably so. However, the number of sick days in Finland due to depression and burnout went down when the pandemic and remote work started, however now they are back up again. Skills needed for mental wellbeing: self-reflection, resilience, empathy, and listening.
Diversity is not about skin colour or sexual preferences
Diversity is an interesting topic. I have always believed in the diversity of the mindset and how we act. Diversity is not about skin colour or sexual preferences. There are many ways to measure it, and it is essential to see that we need diversity and that a team without conflicts is rare. Either they are under the tyranny of one strong individual or, in the rare positive case, the team has learned to deal with conflicts constructively using transparent processes and open communication. Skills needed for diverse organisation: transparency, adaptability, curiosity and transparency.
What can you do to attract and retain talent?
Startups that become scaleups have almost same difficulty as established organisations in holding on to good people. What can you do to attract and retain talent? Communicating and living your values shows that the organisation cares for its employees enough to build a workplace where people want to stay. Skills needed: transparency, openness, trust, and empathy.
Every company needs to make money.
In the end, cash is king. Every company needs to make money. They need to be profitable to succeed and continue to attract top talent. Successful companies know that people need to be motivated to perform well. Some people are not motivated by only money. It amazes me how few companies care to find out what motivates their people. Skills needed: transparency, and accountability.
Be open about your weaknesses. After all, we are all human and nobody is perfect.
An organisation that can tackle the seven points mentioned above has all that is needed to be successful if they are not already. Nothing worth having is easy, and creating a fair, safe and transparent organisation demands a leader willing and able to be courageous. Be open about your weaknesses. After all, we are all human and nobody is perfect.
Life is a journey.
It is not a straight line.
All we need is fearless feedback
and love for ourselves and others.
Be curious.
Have fun.
