founder mode
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.24 in modern English
18
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
2
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A management style where the founder of a company is involved in all aspects of the business, rather than delegating responsibilities to managers.
Example Sentences
- "The battle over “founder mode” versus “manager mode” is one of those manufactured dramas that only a small segment of the world cares about — like going to Davos or Cannes or the Vanity Fair Oscar Party."
- "“Satya [Nadella] is in ‘founder mode’,” said Doc Templeton, deputy chief technology officer of Microsoft, referring to the hands-on leadership style described by Paul Graham, an influential Silicon Valley investor."
Etymology
Coined by English-American programmer, venture capitalist, and essayist Paul Graham, in an essay where he described a leadership style characterized by a hands-on, deeply involved approach to running a company, in 2024.
Inflected Forms
founder modes (plural)