Founder Dependency Scorecard

Founder Dependency Scorecard

Rate each statement based on your actual experience today, not how you would like things to be. 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neither Agree nor Disagree, 4 = Agree, 5 = Strongly Agree. It takes about 5 minutes. The goal is not to make you less important. The goal is to build enough leadership capability that the company can operate, grow, and make decisions without everything depending on you.
Decision Rights
Decisions over $10K regularly happen without me.
Decisions that have already been made often come back to me for a final check.
Decision rights across our leadership team are written down, known, and used.
Leadership Bench
At least three people on my leadership team can make high-impact decisions without me.
We rely on outside hires because we rarely develop leaders from within.
Our leaders consistently coach and develop other leaders without relying on me.
Knowledge and Systems
Most of our critical knowledge (key relationships, pricing logic, how things really get done) lives in my head.
When a key customer, vendor, or banker has a serious problem, they expect to talk to me.
My leadership team could run the business from our documented systems and processes without relying on my memory.
Problem Solving and Escalation
Managers regularly escalate issues to me that they could reasonably solve themselves.
If I stopped personally solving problems tomorrow, most of them would still get solved.
I could take six weeks off with no phone and nothing important would break.
Growth and Culture Ownership
If a new hire asked three of our people why they stay, they would tell a similar story.
When I am not in the room, our culture and values drift.
I am the biggest constraint on our company's growth right now.
A few words in your own words
What is one decision, relationship, or responsibility that still depends on you today but should belong to someone else? Who should own it?
Which two or three people do your employees already turn to when you are not available, and what would it take for them to lead more?
Founder dependency is probably costing our company $______ per year in growth, time, or missed opportunity.
About You
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Founder Dependency Level
Decision Rights Rating
Leadership Bench Rating
Knowledge and Systems Rating
Problem Solving Rating
Growth and Culture Rating
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Founder Dependency Scorecard

Decision Rights

Leadership Bench

Knowledge and Systems

Problem Solving and Escalation

Growth and Culture Ownership

A few words in your own words

About You