NPA 005: The Effects of Founders Syndrome

Founders syndrome is not a disease, but for many nonprofits it is smart to take precautions to prevent its effects. In this podcast, I talk with Kay Clements who started experiencing the effects of burnout after serving as the general manager of a small public radio station in California. Though she did not experience “text book” founders syndrome, many of the symptoms were similar. Her story is raw, honest and enlightening. Here are a few ways founders syndrome can be defined: when the founder of an organization is unable (or unwilling) to adapt as an organization changes and grows when the structure of an organization becomes dependent on the founders system of making things work, making it difficult to replace the founder without collapsing the organization when an organization becomes identified by its founders personality to the point that – when the founder leaves – the organization can no longer function. At the end of this podcast I go over some ways to help prevent the onset of founders syndrome. I also share with you some exciting news I received about a nonprofit I am starting. The effects of this news won’t be known for a few more weeks, but I wanted to let you know about it as I plan to update you on its progress. PROGRAM LINKS: Kay Clements General Manager – KHNS Website: www.khns.org Other Topics Mentioned Noble Paws Inc.The post NPA 005: The Effects of Founders Syndrome first appeared on Nonprofit Ally.