Rowing On My Own

This article expands on topics discussed in my new book, Grow Up Fast: Lessons from an AI Startup.

A situation that I believe resonates with many, not just myself, is finding oneself neck-deep in a sea of work, realizing too late that the issue of delegation should have been addressed sooner. I often feel as though I am continually attempting to render myself redundant, examining how and where I spend most of my time.

Every three to six months or so, I manage to develop some form of automation, a fresh workflow, or a new method to delegate my responsibilities to others. This process involves standardizing the task at hand, only to have a new challenge surface, compelling me to rinse and repeat the same process.

Having gone through this a few times, it dawned on me that this is where the focus of a founder should lie. They should be on the frontlines, pioneering new initiatives and dealing with the maximum degree of uncertainty and unknowns when multiple avenues present themselves. Once the path becomes clearer and evolves into a streamlined process, it becomes possible to hand over the reins to someone else. In this manner, the task comes with clearer expectations, and one can trust that it will be managed efficiently.

Currently, I find myself spending most of my time in a unique position. It seems that approximately 80% of our company's output is generated by individuals who aren't me. This realization prompts me to perceive my role more as a navigator than a rower.

My responsibility lies in directing the ship on its intended course, rather than actively rowing it. The process of delegating tasks, standardizing them, and then facing new challenges is not a burden but rather a necessary cycle. It allows for innovation and the exploration of uncharted territories, and it ultimately leads to progress.

And so, the journey continues. With each new challenge comes the opportunity to develop a solution, standardize it, and then delegate it, before moving onto the next. It's a rhythm that keeps me, as a founder, on my toes. It's a dance with uncertainty and unpredictability, where every new step learned opens up a world of potential for our company and its future.