Founder’s Syndrome No. 1: Passion, Power and the Problem of Staying Too Long

Hello KSKOers…

In 2025, I found myself getting interested in Founder’s Syndrome. It was an issue that kept surfacing in conversations about charities and founder-led organisations. It’s not a comfortable term. It can sound accusatory, even personal. But the more I read about it, listen and reflect, the more I realise it’s about transition, power and identity. And, ultimately, it’s about whether leaders are willing and able to adapt as their organisations grow.

Join me in exploring Founders’s Syndrome and how we can ensure organisational sustainability beyond the founder.

Looking forward to joining you on your learning journey!

So what is Founder’s Syndrome? At its simplest, it describes what happens when the strengths that enabled a founder to build an organisation begin to limit its future. As Marshall Goldsmith said, ‘what got you here, won’t get you there’. The drive, the vision, the willingness to take risks, the personal sacrifice; all these things are often the very qualities that turn an idea into a living, breathing charity or company. Founders are frequently the