Part 2.
Having an undisputed leader. An important criterion for assessing the maturity and stability of a team is the presence of an obvious leader whose superiority is not contested by anyone. It is often observed that in a team, two or even three people consider themselves equal founders and leaders. My practice shows that this is a future conflict waiting to happen. There will be a situation where the co-founders’ opinions will split, and since they have equal shares, disputes over such elementary things as, for example, whether to make a button blue or red, can turn into hours of fruitless discussions. A startup develops faster when the final word of the recognized leader can end disputes and allow them to move forward. Team members still live in romantic illusions about some kind of brotherhood and equality, thinking that they will always be like one big family. In real life, such a model does not last long. Most likely, the conflict is just postponed to the future. The leader should not be a dictator; work should be based on democratic principles. All important issues should be openly discussed, each team member should have the opportunity to express their point of view and substantiate it with arguments; no one should stand their ground out of principle but should be open to logical and reasoned arguments from partners. Team cohesion. I have often observed how, when discussing various issues and even during negotiations with investors, team members engage in discussions among themselves, argue, and even quarrel. This is a troubling signal indicating that proper relationships are not built within the team and that the guys lack cohesion for the common cause.
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