The Shadow of the Founder

Starting with facts when legacy is still running the room

You have officially taken over the business from your father. But, he's bored at home so he keeps coming in. Everyone is happy to have him as he calls on his favorite customers, attends the weekly meetings and continues to weigh in on strategy. But at the same time, his continued influence is derailing the progress you are trying to make. Recently you spoke to the controller "How can we track the cost and revenue at the level of each crew?" The controller, faced with a challenge seemed to perk up, eyes wide as you began to discuss the possibilities. But, Dad came in on the conversation and without a thought said "You don't need that, just look at the P&L, that's enough!" derailing the discussion. You could feel the excitement flee your body as the conversation was diverted. Control had been lost.

Those metrics are going to be important if you are going to take the company to the next level. But your retired father doesn't see the utility and states that it sounds like micromanagement. This resistance, led by your retired father and his faithful former employees, causes you to wonder "Who's in charge here?" But it's not just you, everyone silently wonders the same thing.

These instances reveal the fact that you are not fulfilling the role of leader. The transition has occurred on paper but you have not seized the control your title bestows. Look at the room's behavior in your weekly meetings when you bring up a topic. Once you state your intent, everyone in the room turns to look at Dad. And, you can feel the spirit of leadership leave you and enter your father as what he says quickly becomes a consensus.

We have two goals to accomplish. Establish your authority while respecting your father and his legacy. It starts with a frank discussion with Dad in which we get clear on how the transition is not occurring and what to do about it. But kicking off a sensitive conversation like this can be challenging.

Let's imagine a doctor, "Mr. Smith, I have some difficult news to convey." Your response? "Just get to it Doc!" Do you want him to mention his feelings? How it hurts him to have to talk about this? How he considers you a friend? No. You want the facts with no nuance.

You too should start with the facts, third party observable facts such as what each party said, how the focus changed, and importantly the undesirable outcome. This is your homework. For the next week, you need to note specific moments that illustrate 3 - 5 instances of how you know that the transition has not fully occurred. Stick with the raw facts, what was said, how the energy shifted and how the employees default back to him. We can then contrast the observed outcome with the desired outcome. This is the content we will use to have that conversation where, like the doctor, we "Just get to it".

Starting with these facts along with the guiding focus of the transition of authority keeps the conversation on target. Don't forget that he's spent 40 years running this business and it's difficult to simply stop being the person he has always been. But when you begin to reveal to him the specific behaviors that are creating the imbalance, you can reverse the authority dynamic. When he acknowledges your authority through his actions, the loyal will follow. That will be your chance to confidently step up as the leader they need.

Park Wiker

P.S. It’s the truth I’m after, and the truth never harmed anyone. What harms us is to persist in self-deceit and ignorance. Marcus Aurelius