Shownotes
Guest: Todd Wilkins, a seasoned executive with extensive experience leading product teams in startups
Discussion Points:
- Background and Career Journey: Todd shares his transition from computer science to leadership roles, emphasizing his interest in user experience, sociology, and supporting small to medium businesses.
- Working with Founders:
- Adaptability and Growth: Founders often face new challenges, requiring them to adapt and grow. They need support in areas they're not fully prepared for, combining a need for learning with their inherent conviction.
- Conviction vs. Stubbornness: Founders are described as having a strong conviction, which can sometimes appear as stubbornness but is crucial for overcoming entrepreneurial hurdles.
- Trust and Understanding: Building trust with founders involves deeply understanding their motivations and the journey they've taken, akin to hostage negotiators understanding their subjects.
- Challenges in Founder-Led Companies:
- Delegation: Founders often struggle with giving direction and power effectively, which are essential for proper delegation.
- Communication: Founders might communicate their vision or mission inconsistently, leading to misinterpretation among team members.
- Strategies for Effective Leadership:
- First Principles Approach: Todd uses a simple framework to break down business operations into core components (revenue, costs, customer acquisition, retention, expansion) to align teams and clarify strategic actions.
- Personal Reflection: Importance of self-awareness and personal growth to be an adaptive leader, which also aids in understanding others.
Contact Information
website - ToddWilkins.com
LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/toddwilkens
PODCAST INFO
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