Founder Quirks

The problem isn’t having them — it’s pretending they don’t affect everyone else.

Your quirks shape culture faster than any “values” poster: how you handle pressure, whether you change direction mid-week, if you praise openly but criticise quietly (or vice versa). The best leaders don’t aim to be “normal”. They aim to be aware. Name your quirks, keep the useful ones, and put guardrails around the expensive ones.

If you’re an ideas machine, build a decision filter before your team starts building Version 7.

If you’re detail-obsessed, stop rewiring work your team could own.

Ask trusted people: “When do I make your job harder without realising?” That one question can save a fortune in friction. Quirks aren’t the enemy. Unmanaged quirks are.

Pick one leadership quirk you know you’ve got, ask a trusted colleague how it lands, and commit to one small guardrail this week. If you want a sounding board, bring it to your next peer-to-peer session and get honest feedback.

Written by Sonny Cutting