Why Founders Should Embrace Their Superpowers and Stop Delegating Everything: Dalton and Michael explain in their YouTube video that the startup world has been fed a misleading narrative about founder responsibilities. Having worked with numerous successful startups, I’ve observed a trend where founders are consistently advised to step back and delegate rather than leverage their unique abilities. This conventional wisdom isn’t just wrong—it potentially damages company growth.
Founders possess extraordinary capabilities that can accelerate company progress far beyond what traditional management approaches suggest. When a founder directly engages with core business functions, they can accomplish tasks 2-10 times more efficiently than others. However, this superpower comes with a crucial caveat: it only works when applied with laser-sharp focus.
The Power of Direct Founder Involvement
Consider this striking example from the sales domain: I’ve encountered multiple Y Combinator companies generating $5-10 million in revenue with just 2-4 salespeople total. One particular company stands out, achieving over $50 million in sales with fewer than five salespeople—a feat that defies conventional sales team scaling wisdom.
The secret? When CEOs focus on sales, they gain access to higher-level decision-makers who can move deals forward. While junior salespeople often get stuck dealing with powerless middle managers requiring endless approvals, founders can cut through organizational layers and speak directly with key decision-makers.
This principle extends beyond sales. Whether product development, customer service, or strategic initiatives, founder involvement can dramatically accelerate progress. The key is choosing where to apply this leverage.
The Focus Fallacy
Many founders claim they’re focused while spreading themselves thin across numerous initiatives. Here’s what unfocused leadership typically looks like:
- Juggling multiple “critical” priorities simultaneously
- Spending only 20% of the time on supposed top priorities
- Creating complex explanations for simple business concepts
- Constantly shifting between different strategic initiatives
True focus means making hard choices about what not to do. It requires the courage to be deliberately bad at some things to be exceptional at others.
The Simplicity of Success
The most successful companies I meet with share a common trait: they can explain their business clearly and concisely. Their founders don’t need complex frameworks or elaborate strategies to describe what they’re doing. Instead, they can articulate:
- Who their customer is
- What specific problem do they solve
- How they make their customers’ lives better
- What they’ve learned from the market
- Their next steps for improvement
This clarity isn’t coincidental—it directly results from deep focus and genuine customer impact. When you’re truly helping customers, the path forward becomes obvious, and the fog of confusion lifts.
Reclaiming Your Focus
As we approach year-end, it’s the perfect time to audit your focus and realign your priorities. Here’s how to start:
- Identify your core superpower as a founder
- Choose 1-2 areas where your direct involvement will have the most significant impact
- List what you’re willing to be bad at or ignore completely
- Eliminate calendar commitments that don’t serve your focus areas
- Communicate these changes clearly to your team
Remember, you don’t need permission to focus. It’s entirely within your control, and when you demonstrate focused leadership, your entire organization will follow suit.
The Path Forward
The startup community needs to reject the notion that founders should primarily be managers of managers. Instead, we should recognize that when properly focused, founder superpowers can create extraordinary results that defy conventional wisdom.
The next time someone suggests you step back and delegate everything, remember that your unique abilities as a founder are your company’s secret weapon. Use them wisely, focus them intentionally, and don’t apologize for being deeply involved in the areas where you can create the most value.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I identify which areas deserve my focused attention as a founder?
Look for areas where your direct involvement creates disproportionate results. This often includes customer-facing activities, key product decisions, or strategic sales. If your participation can speed up decision-making or improve outcomes by 2-10x, you should focus on that.
Q: What if I need to manage multiple priorities simultaneously?
While multiple priorities will always exist, success comes from ruthless prioritization. Choose 1-2 core areas where you can create the most impact, and be willing to let other areas receive less attention. It’s better to excel in a few critical areas than to be mediocre across many.
Q: How can I tell if I’m truly focused versus just thinking I am?
Audit your calendar and time allocation. If your supposed top priority receives less than 50% of your time, you’re probably not as focused as you think. Also, examine how simply you can explain your business and priorities. Complexity often masks a lack of focus.
Q: Won’t being too focused make me miss important opportunities?
The opposite is usually true. Deep focus in core areas leads to breakthrough insights and opportunities that scattered attention never reveals. The best opportunities often come from doing a few things exceptionally well rather than doing many things adequately.
Q: How do I maintain focus when everything seems urgent?
Start by identifying what truly moves the needle for your customers and business. Often, what seems urgent isn’t actually important. Create clear criteria for what deserves your attention, and be disciplined about saying no to everything else. Remember, if everything is urgent, nothing is.
