Do the right work.
Doing work that you ‘must do’ is not just about completing a list of tasks that you believe are the responsibility of a founder or CEO. It’s about what you do, and what you bring to your business to help it scale.
This work is best done by you because you’re the founder — things like designing product features, meeting critical clients, or presenting at board meetings. In this chapter, we’ll look at the work you must do. It can be a mix of work you love (e.g., Do! creative, idea-generating, problem-solving) and work you don’t particularly love (e.g., Develop public speaking, panels and fundraising).
How do you know what you love to do?
This may sound really obvious, but I have worked with so many clients who have led careers they truly hate. They spend four (or more) years uni becoming an accountant, and twenty years later are still in the same job. They’re average accountants, but they have no passion or purpose in their role.
Dan Pink describes people’s motivators and drivers as falling into three categories: Autonomy, Mastery and Sense of Purpose. Are you experiencing these in your role?
Do you have the autonomy in leading your business, or are you being pushed to make decisions that aren’t aligned with your intentions?
Are you a master in your work, or are you doing work that puts you out of your depth and makes you feel like an impostor?
Do you feel a strong sense of purpose in your work, or has it lost that direction for you?
This is really important. I regularly speak with founders in scaleups who meet this challenge. If you just want to code, then code. If you just want to develop product, then go and develop product. If you just want to be an engineer, then be an engineer! You didn’t grow this business to not be doing what you really want to do. What’s the point in that? It’s not all about sales, revenue, shares, building a team, impressing investors and making money — especially if you’re miserable!
Should you be the CEO?
Does being the CEO fit into the catergory of 'must do’? If you believe you will be a great CEO, then do that. If you feel you need some help in becoming CEO, then invest in the help and develop into the role. Whatever you do, don’t just assume that just because you‘re the founder you’ll make the best CEO.
If you find you’re expected to be the CEO, but you’d rather be the CPO or CTO or CMO, then be that. You probably don’t want to be the CEO because you know you won’t be any good at it. While a status achievement for many people, the CEO role is absolutely critical to the success of your business scaling because it requires strong people leadership and a whole new set of skills.
As the founder, you can’t completely avoid people leadership (Develop quadrant), but if you’re honestly not very good at it, then leave the CEO responsibility to someone who is. This might be someone already in your team, or you’ll need to bring in the right person, with the right experience and expertise for the job.
Don’t spend your day doing work you don’t like or dread, just because you think it’s expected of you. You might be surprised to hear how often that’s not expected of you. Advisors and boards can be hesitant to suggest to a founder that they step away from the CEO option. If you’re not going to be good at it, then it’s good news for them if you do the work you came here to do. (You will always be the founder and that comes with its own set of responsibilities.)
As Molly Graham says, ‘If you personally want to grow as fast as your company, you have to give away your job every couple months.
Bullets and Barrels
The analogy of bullets in (gun) barrels is very applicable here. You can go to battle with all the ammunition in the world, but if you don't have any guns to shoot with, your business will fail. Some people can act as a gun barrel, by directing others. Other people are really potent as bullets, and will do a tremendous job in their area of expertise. If you’re better as a bullet, then be that. And find the best barrel to direct the work in your business.
Can you really just do the work you love?
I’m sure you’re still thinking that surely you can’t just do the work you want to do, right?! Who will do all the other stuff?
There is so much to consider, and this isn’t an overnight decision. Take the time and space to do the reflection work. Here are some questions to get you started.
Or are you:
✓ trying to transition to CEO or CPO or CMO?
✓ still struggling with your founder identity?
✓ afraid of failure?
✓ second guessing every decision?
✓ regularly procrastinating? Staring at a spot on the wall??
✓ reluctant to let go, to enable others step up?
Are you:
✓ excited to start your day, every day?
✓ doing work you love?
✓ doing what you came here to do?
✓ being recognised as the expert in your field?
✓ working with people who get you, and get what you want to achieve?
If you answered ‘no’ to the first list and ‘yes’ to the second, then you’re doing the wrong work for you. There is nothing legendary in doing the wrong work, in fact it’s making you a liability.
Legend List. Start here:
What’s the right work for you?
What’s the work you must do and love? Do that.
What’s the work you must do, but maybe don’t love so much? Develop others to do it.
If you’re ready to to do the right work, I’d love to chat and see how I can help.
