Great perspectives here, Townsend. From my personal experience (more than once), the phenomenon you detail—where a founder's off-the-cuff idea becomes an instant, priority-shifting directive—is spot-on, and it all boils down to the founder's identity; they're still operating from the successful, early-days commitment of being the essential problem-solver, and until they recognize that impulse and intentionally find a new way to add value, they will keep derailing the organization's focus.
Great perspectives here, Townsend. From my personal experience (more than once), the phenomenon you detail—where a founder's off-the-cuff idea becomes an instant, priority-shifting directive—is spot-on, and it all boils down to the founder's identity; they're still operating from the successful, early-days commitment of being the essential problem-solver, and until they recognize that impulse and intentionally find a new way to add value, they will keep derailing the organization's focus.
Exactly 🙌 they are well intentioned and coming from a desire to serve… and this makes a mess!