Cult of Personality

My friend who has a small company is in the process of clarifying and sharing his vision with his team. Sharing your dreams for the future is an exposing process. Not only does it reveal something very personal, it puts you on the hook. I’ve spoken with many business owners who hesitate to share their vision for fear that it might not be well received or that they might not be able to deliver on their promise. 

My friend is starting from a great place though because, like most small bootstrapped businesses, the main reason that his team has chosen to work with him is that they believe in him. They might not even know why, since he’s yet to fully paint the picture of what they're working toward. It’s likely not a rational decision but rather one based on gut feelings or instinct.

While belief in the individual at the helm is essential, a cult of personality doesn’t scale. For a business to grow, the primary cultural touch point has to be with the mission, vision, and values of the organization, and not a specific person. 

If someone needs to interact with me to feel connected to the heartbeat of Cat & Cloud, we’re missing the mark. While it’s flattering that some people believe in me, I’m certain no one's highest calling involves waking up and thinking “I’m incredibly passionate about working for Chris. Working for Chris is my dream!” I do know people wake up and think “I’m incredibly passionate about taking care of people and providing them with amazing experiences that connect them more deeply with the people around them.”

As leaders, we can help our employees achieve their goals by helping them engage with what they’re passionate about at a higher level, but we can’t impose our goals on them, they must willingly accept them as their own. This is one of the great things businesses can do in our culture—be a conduit to connect people with and act on ideas they deeply believe in.

As the owner, you’re still the stakeholder of the mission and will set the standards, but it’s important not to confuse your organization's mission as an ideal, with you, a human.