LEADERSHIP need to get to know candidates enough to feel comfortable that they understand your vision for the company , that there is a good two-way fit for your company ’ s culture , and that they can grasp or learn your organization ’ s data and decision frameworks . Only then can you have the level of trust needed to operate in manager mode successfully .
With an objective framework in place and the right people in position to implement it , managers are empowered to make decisions agilely as required by the needs of the business . Owners and CEOs have a birds-eye view of these decisions and the data that both led to them and that resulted from them , which allows you to keep managers accountable . Because data is widely and quickly available at all levels , if there ever is an issue at a job site or in a particular function , this will be visible to an owner early on to step in before things go off track .
Although running operations and decision-making from founder mode isn ’ t recommended , we do think there are some good lessons that any type of company can implement . These center around the energy and people focus of many who operate in founder mode . Things like holding skip-levels , knowing crew members personally and visiting jobsites can all be part of a healthy , people-first culture and help all members of a company connect to the owner ’ s vision .
The founder mode versus manager mode debate will likely continue across the business world , but landscape business owners who focus on two key areas — data-driven decision-making and hiring the right people — will find success as they seek to scale . By empowering managers and crew leads , owners can focus on the most important things : setting the company ’ s vision and strategy , keeping their managers accountable and consciously shaping their company ’ s culture .
Cole Jackson is senior vice president of portfolio acceleration at Montage Partners . He collaborates with the firm ’ s portfolio company management teams to establish and execute each company ’ s growth strategy . Previously , Jackson was a senior manager at Accenture Strategy , where he worked with clients across industries to improve operations and develop and implement new operating models . Jackson holds a bachelor ’ s degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Oklahoma and a master ’ s degree in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University .
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