Nonprofit Founder's Syndrome: What It Is and Ways to Conquer It

Nonprofit founder's syndrome is a phenomenon where a nonprofit organization becomes overly reliant on its founder. This occurs when:

• The founder maintains a high level of control over the organization

• The founder is unwilling or unable to delegate responsibilities

• The founder is unable to adapt to new circumstances.

It can lead to micromanagement, resistance to change, and a centralization of decision-making, which can limit the organization's ability to grow and innovate. Nonprofit founder's syndrome is a common issue in nonprofit organizations, particularly those that have been around for a long time and have experienced significant growth.

It's really important to deal with nonprofit founder's syndrome if you want your organization to keep going strong. If you don't, your staff might get really frustrated and start quitting. You might also find it hard to grow and come up with new ideas. By making a plan for when the founder steps back, building a strong board of directors, and making sure everyone is working together, you can avoid these problems and keep making a positive impact in your community.

What Causes Nonprofit Founder’s Syndrome?

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Nonprofit founder's syndrome can arise from a variety of factors, including:

1. The founder's personality and leadership style

2. The lack of succession planning

3. The founder's attachment to the organization

Let’s look at each of these more closely.

The founder's personality and leadership style

These can play a significant role in causing nonprofit founder's syndrome. Founders who are highly passionate, visionary, and driven may have a difficult time letting go of control, which can lead to micromanagement and a lack of delegation. In addition, founders who are resistant to change or have strong personalities may be unwilling to consider alternative viewpoints or ideas, which can stifle innovation and growth.

Are you feeling attacked? Don’t…instead, I suggest taking a step back and being totally honest with yourself. Ask yourself, are you:

• Highly passionate

• A visionary

• Driven

Do you have a difficult time letting go of control?

Deep breaths…😮‍💨

If YES is ringing in your head, even if you don’t really want to admit it, then you might be struggling with nonprofit founder’s syndrome.

The lack of succession planning

Lack of succession planning can be a significant problem for nonprofit organizations, and it can contribute to nonprofit founder's syndrome. When a founder leaves an organization without a clear plan for succession, it can create a leadership vacuum that can be tough to fill. It can leave staff feeling uncertain about the future direction of the organization, and the organization may struggle to maintain its financial stability and donor support.

Having a clear succession plan in place can help avoid these issues. A succession plan outlines the process for identifying and grooming potential successors, as well as the steps that will be taken to ensure a smooth transition of leadership. By having a plan in place, nonprofit organizations can ensure that they are prepared for the departure of the founder and can continue to fulfill their mission and make a positive impact in the community. Need help? SHRM has a useful guide on succession planning.

The founder's attachment to the organization

This may very well be THE factor…

After all, you founded the nonprofit. It was born out of passion, blood, sweat, and tears. You’ve poured your heart and soul into it. It IS your baby. And just like any mom, letting go of your baby can seem an impossible task.

Understandably, it can be difficult to step back and let others take the reins. This attachment can lead to a reluctance to delegate responsibilities, resistance to change, and an unwillingness to consider alternative viewpoints.

And this is what I have been saying in my podcast (give episode 21 a listen). If your nonprofit is not moving forward, it could be you that’s holding it back. 🫤

The Symptoms of Nonprofit Founder's Syndrome

How do you know if you are experiencing founder’s syndrome? Here are a few symptoms to look out for.

1. Micromanagement: One of the most recognizable symptoms of nonprofit founder's syndrome. When a founder has a strong attachment to an organization, they may struggle to let go of control and may feel the need to oversee every aspect of the organization's operations. This can lead to micromanagement, which can be detrimental to staff morale and can hinder innovation and growth. Here’s further reading on micromanagement and how to deal with it.
   
   For example, if you are overly invested in the day-to-day operations of the organization, you may feel the need to micromanage every aspect of the organization's work, from reviewing every email to dictating specific processes and procedures.
   
   This level of control can be demoralizing for staff members who may feel that they are not trusted or empowered to make decisions on their own. Micromanagement can also stifle innovation and creativity, as staff may feel that they cannot take risks or try new approaches without the founder's approval.

2. Resistance to change: When founders have invested so much of themselves in an organization, they may be hesitant to accept any changes that could modify the organization's mission or identity. This reluctance can pose difficulties when the organization needs to adapt to new challenges or seize new opportunities.
   
   Say you founded your nonprofit to provide after-school tutoring services to elementary school students in low-income communities. Over time, the organization grew to offer a range of other educational programs, such as summer camps and college prep workshops.
   
   If you are resistant to change, you may be hesitant to consider expanding the organization's services beyond education, such as branching out into health or social services. This resistance could prevent the organization from addressing the evolving needs of its community and limit its potential for growth and impact.

3. Inability to delegate: Founders who struggle to let go of control may have a difficult time delegating responsibilities to other staff members. This can lead to burnout for the founder and can prevent other staff members from developing their skills and taking on leadership roles.
   
   For example, in the beginning, you are responsible for managing all of the organization's fundraising efforts. This may include writing grant proposals, coordinating fundraising events, and soliciting donations from individual donors.
   
   If you struggle to delegate responsibilities—even if you now have staff to ease your load— you may insist on taking on all of these tasks, This will lead to burnout and a lack of work-life balance. Additionally, other staff members may miss out on opportunities to develop their skills and take on leadership roles in the organization!

4. Centralized decision-making: When a founder has a strong attachment to an organization, they may be unwilling to consider alternative viewpoints or to involve others in decision-making. This can lead to a lack of innovation and growth, as well as staff frustration and disengagement.
   
   This can look like you having a strong attachment to a particular program that you developed early on in the organization's history. Despite feedback from staff members and stakeholders that the program may no longer be meeting the needs of the community, you may be unwilling to consider alternative viewpoints or involve others in decision-making.
   
   This lack of openness to new ideas and perspectives can prevent the organization from innovating and adapting to changing circumstances, leading to stagnation and a loss of relevance. And again, staff members may be affected and become frustrated and disengaged if they feel that their input is not valued or that their ideas are not being heard.

Consequences of Nonprofit Founder's Syndrome

So you can spot a person experiencing nonprofit founder’s syndrome a mile away…but do you really grasp what it can do to your baby? Just how exactly it can have a negative impact? Let’s look at some of the direst consequences as they relate to the causes and symptoms we previously discussed.

1. Staff burnout and turnover can occur when a founder is unwilling to delegate responsibilities or share decision-making power with others. This can lead to overwork and burnout for staff members, as well as a lack of opportunities for growth and advancement. In some cases, staff members may become frustrated and disengaged, leading to turnover and a loss of institutional knowledge and expertise. 👎🏾

2. Stifling of innovation and growth can happen when a founder is resistant to change or new ideas. Without a willingness to consider alternative viewpoints or to involve others in decision-making, an organization may become stagnant and lose relevance in the community. This can limit the organization's ability to respond to changing needs or to take advantage of new opportunities. 👎🏾

3. Reduced effectiveness and impact. When decision-making is centralized and limited to one person, it can be difficult to ensure that the organization is making the most effective use of its resources and achieving its mission in the most impactful way possible. This can limit the organization's ability to serve its community and achieve its goals. 👎🏾

Strategies for Conquering Nonprofit Founder's Syndrome

I hope I’ve convinced you of the very real dangers of nonprofit founder’s syndrome (and that you are open to the possibility that you might have it). It’s time to hunker down and discuss strategies for overcoming it.

1. Create a succession plan

You should create a succession plan that outlines the steps to be taken if the founder (YOU) were to leave the organization. This plan should include identifying potential successors and providing them with the necessary training and support to take over the organization successfully.

Say you provide disaster relief services. You can identify a potential successor from within your nonprofit’s network of volunteers, such as someone who has demonstrated strong leadership skills during previous disaster responses. The organization may provide this individual with training in disaster management, fundraising, and volunteer coordination to prepare them for a leadership role.

2. Build a strong board of directors

A nonprofit's board should be comprised of diverse individuals with various skills and experiences who can provide sound guidance and oversight to the organization. The board should also have a clear understanding of its responsibilities and be willing to hold the founder accountable for their actions.

A strong board can look like this:

1. An environmental conservation nonprofit may benefit from having board members with diverse backgrounds, including scientists, lawyers, marketing experts, and community leaders.

2. A nonprofit focused on providing educational opportunities to underserved communities may have a board that includes educators, business leaders, social workers, and community activists, who can help the organization understand the unique challenges facing the communities it serves and develop effective strategies to address those challenges.

3. An organization that provides healthcare services can have board members with expertise in healthcare policy, finance, and administration. These individuals can help ensure that the organization is operating efficiently and effectively and can provide guidance on how to navigate the complex healthcare landscape.

3. Encourage a culture of transparency and collaboration

It’s easy to say you’re doing this, am I right? 🙋🏽‍♀️

But what does it look like in practice? Here are a few things you can do right now.

Encourage open communication between board members, staff, and the founder. Everyone should feel comfortable sharing their opinions and concerns, and there should be a mechanism in place for addressing any conflicts that arise.

Strive to make decisions collaboratively, with input from all stakeholders. This can help ensure that decisions are made with the organization's best interests in mind, rather than just the founder's preferences.

Regularly report on their activities and progress to all stakeholders, including donors, volunteers, and the board. This can help ensure transparency and accountability and build trust among stakeholders.

What do you say? Can you try at least one? You got this!

4. Provide opportunities for the founder to step back and take a break

Providing opportunities for the founder—YOU!— to step back and take a break can help prevent burnout and create space for other leaders to emerge. Here are a few ways in which nonprofit organizations can provide opportunities for the founder to step back:

1. Vacation time: Nonprofit organizations should encourage the founder to take regular vacation time to recharge and refresh. This can help ensure that the founder has the energy and motivation to continue leading the organization effectively.

2. Sabbaticals: Offer the founder a sabbatical, a period of extended leave, to pursue other interests or projects. This provides an opportunity for the founder to develop new skills and ideas that can benefit the organization.

3. Delegation: Encourage the founder to delegate responsibilities to other leaders within the organization. This creates opportunities for other leaders to step up and expand their skill set, while also ensuring that the organization is not overly dependent on the founder's leadership. I know, it’s not easy to delegate when you have the “If you want something done right, do it yourself” mentality. But remember, this is not always true!

4. Mentoring: Seek other leaders (and potential leaders) within the organization to mentor. This will develop a pipeline of leaders and create a culture of shared leadership.

5. Seek outside support and expertise

One key benefit of seeking outside support is that it brings fresh perspectives to the organization. An outsider can offer new ideas and insights that may not have been considered before. They can provide an objective view of the organization's strengths and weaknesses, and help identify areas for improvement. This can be particularly valuable in combatting founder's syndrome, where leaders may be stuck in their ways or resistant to change.

Another benefit of seeking outside support is that it introduces expertise that may not be available within the organization. Nonprofit founders may have a strong vision and passion for their cause, but they may not have the expertise in areas like finance, marketing, or fundraising. Bringing in outside experts can help fill these gaps and provide valuable guidance on how to grow and sustain the organization.

There are many ways to seek outside support and expertise, including:

• Hiring consultants or coaches

• Joining peer networks or mentorship programs

• Attending training or educational programs

• Partnering with other organizations

The key is to find the right fit for the organization's needs and goals.

Ready to Conquer Nonprofit Founder’s Syndrome?

Now that we’ve examined nonprofit founder’s syndrome closely, I hope that you have a clear insight into what it is, how to determine if you are experiencing it, and what you can do about it.

It ain’t a joke, people. Nonprofit founder’s syndrome can not only stop your organization from growing—it can break the organization! And when that happens, guess who suffers? The community. The people who are depending on YOU to make their lives better.

When you look at it from that perspective, it is a no-brainer, isn’t it? No matter how much you love your baby, when you realize that you might be ruining other people’s lives because of this misguided sense of ownership, there is no question about moving beyond nonprofit founder’s syndrome.