The 7 Troublemakers you meet in a start up

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One of the greatest adventures in life is working within a start up.   The twists and turns across uncertain and unfolding landscape can make a veritable roller coaster.   That uncertainty and potential tend to draw a cast of characters as participants.   Some are memorable.  Here is my list of 7 troublemakers (not all inclusive by any means but these are favorites) that you meet in a start up.

1.     Ms. Strategy

This capable, driven, articulate young lady will meet any requests for tactical execution with a discussion of strategy.   In a start up, everyone is close to both the strategy and the supporting tactics.  Some people can't help themselves from knowing better about either or both.  Plus, talking is a lot easier than doing.

2.    Mr. Big, Hollow, Pipeline

He made $300k at Cisco before taking this job.  Now he has a huge sales pipeline of brand name companies with massive revenue potential and no disciplined approach to characterizing possibility of closing them.  Ask him how a 30% likelihood of close defers from a 70% likelihood of close and he will talk about people and conversations rather than steps and actions.  I now assume that Cisco pays all failing salespeople $300k.

3.  Goldilocks

The ever changing roles and challenges of a growing start up provide an endless set of opportunities to try new jobs and responsibilities.  Most people love being stretched and many discover or develop new skills or interests.  Not Goldilocks, however, as this individual tends to be too heavy for light work and too light for heavy work.  In any other words, no matter what the challenge or organizational needs at hand -- Goldilocks will fail you.

4.   The Big Time Scaler

No sense building any system today that won't scale to size of General Motors.  Yes, every start up organization has plans and dreams but sometimes you need to sell one house to get another, larger one rather than live in a mostly empty, expensive one along the way.

5.   Mr. Artiste - the programmer

He is creating software (sometimes the company's core product/hope of future success) and he isn't limited by the contents of the requirements document.  He isn't limited by it because he isn't reading it.  He is creating, damn it, and brings his own vision.  Definition: Artiste   Plus, staying consistent with his vision keeps him closer to his imaginary specification with its imaginary time line (and yes, he's on schedule).

6.       The Holiday Maker/Union Rights Leader/Salary Surveyor

Yes, a long title, but its a big job.  First, this person will seek the addition of incremental holidays to the company calendar.  What no Veteran's Day?  We don't get off the week between Christmas and New Year's?   Friday before Easter or the Monday after?  Well, you get the idea.

This contributor will also "represent" the feelings of employees to management without consulting many of them first.   There's no who in this group, its a group of "everybody".   So, if you're a company leader and you ask "who" said that, the probable response is that everybody says that.  Unless, the question is "who thinks I'm being a jerk about this?" and the Union Leader has a score to settle with someone. 

Finally, this person usually investigates and shares salary data for the purpose of fomenting general dissension within the company.   This can be useful between two parties or as another representation to management -- "People are unhappy that Sam makes so much" or "People over at comparable start up make more than us".  You might ask how do you know this information but the source will be akin to "that's what I'm hearing".    It is also fun to say "Do you think Sam is fairly paid or could you do his job?".

7.      The Angry Support Person

I can never figure out what makes them, or keeps them angry, but they can be the Energizer Bunny of anger.   Maybe the line of work, or being the starting point of a feedback loop for whatever is going wrong with the product or customers, but in any case, the Angry Support Person can create a special kind of crisis.  I had one tell a customer to "F#@$k off" and another talk obscenely with a customer (apparently to the delight of the customer but displeasure of co-workers - so maybe not an Angry Support Person in the technical sense).   

Ok, there are more that should be on this list, but in the interest of brevity, I'll end it.   If you think I left an obvious one off this list -- leave a comment or send me an email.

 Here are 6 More Troublemakers

CEO Troublemakers

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Comments

[Glenn Shuck]

Don,

Great post. I'll add one issue I always saw along the way in startups...more from the management hiring side for sales. "we want strong sales talent.....but they MUST have a roledex".....I saw many times that while a roledex is always important and helpful.....when selling a new technology, that hotshot with a roledex was great for the first 2-3 sales with his friends....but, crashed and burned when it came time to do the real hardcore selling for a startup! He was so used to having resources at his fingertips....but now without, could not even begin to think on his to get the new business the company so desperately needed.

Translation..not all high paid salespeople are true entreprunuers, and can function outside the Ciscos of the world...so think hard about what is needed before you (the hiring startup org) feels they need a salesperson "with a roledex"

PS what does fomenting mean?? I'm just a sales dude without a roledex!!

[Don]

Glen,
Thanks for the comment, it was tempting to add to this this.

And your moment of Zen:

foment [fəˈmɛnt]
vb (tr)
1. to encourage or instigate (trouble, discord, etc.); stir up
2. (Medicine) Med to apply heat and moisture to (a part of the body) to relieve pain and inflammation

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=621599484]

LOL ---- very funny. Off you go on to my blogroll. http://technbiz.blogspot.com

[Jim Hirshfield]

Uh oh...is this one of those lists where if you don't recognize yourself as one of those characters then you're probably one of those characters? ;-)

Seriously, great post.

[Joey Flores]

Hey Don,

Great post. Thought you might enjoy this:

http://www.startuparmy.com/armyblog/web-startup-advice/10-things-you-never-want-to-hear-at-your-startup.html

-Joey

[Mick Dickinson]

Very amusing and true no doubt! Not all start-ups need VC of course - more here http://www.startupdonut.co.uk/startup/finance/sources-of-start-up-finance

[JANAK JOSHI]

Don - can I add the infamous "Venture Board Representative With Unrealistic Goals". This guy is on 20 other boards and is not operationally invovled. He's with you only because a big name venture firm invested in your idea and you need his name on your website for attracting subsequent rounds. This guy usually reeks of power and you have to please him because he reports back to the GP's at the firm on how you are performing and your direction. He has the power to throw all yuor ideas for the past 6 months out of the window because he thinks he has "been there done that" with a dozen other deals.

[Don]

Thanks, Janak.
My suspicion is the Board, CEO and VP's might warrant a separate, similar post. That said, I have met the guy you're describing here. Thanks for the comment.
Don

[mmk]

The graphic you have at the top of the blog looks really nice. In my opinion, the level of detail on the capitol building is a little high compared to the rest of the image though.

[twitter.com/EdLoessi]

Don,

Great post I've had an experience with nearly each and everyone of these 7 and a few more.

I would also agree with Janak and say that his Board Rep and Ms. Strategy are probably the most dangerous as they can potentially sway many conversations while having little to no knowledge about what is actually going on in the business from an actions standpoint.

In my most recent company RapidInfluence we have come up with the perfect solution for combating Ms. Strategy!

Ed Loessi

http://www.rapidinfluence.com
http://twitter.com/rapidinfluence
http://twitter.com/edloessi

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=672188057]

Hah - this is spot on.

[John Stack]

Interesting. At any given point in time, people doing these jobs end up wearing these hats - hopefully for only a short time though, and with limited negative impact.

Certainly, those that you describe above - if stuck in the paradigms you describe are troubling; however, it takes a great manager to recognize that and do everything they can to shift them out of the behaviors you've described. Alternatvely, perhaps the manager's hiring skills are in question.

Startup teams change and different personalitites and skills are needed at different times. Hopefully, none of these are founders - or perhaps the investment itself is suspect.

[bipin]

Great post, I would also add 'Programmer who wont do any dirty work coz she is an "Architect" ' . A lot of geniuses have trouble doing small bit work not realizing how important it is to the whole equation.

Bipin
CEO
http://www.mobikwik.com

[Don]

Thanks for the comment, I suspect a sequel is a good idea here. I'll get your architect on the list.....

[Tony Valenti]

Great article! We recently had an employee who was Ms. Strategy, Goldilocks, The Holiday Maker, Salary Surveyor, and Angry support person all rolled into one. Oddly enough, they were a great worker, but in the end, it was too stressful to have them around.

[Amy Hale]

Great article. I've had run in with most of these types.