Believing in company success, founders’ status earns respect and their words credibility

Respect for founders and recognition of their leadership are both grounded in belief in the company. After all, no matter how frustrating things get, most early team members can endure for a few years until success is achieved. But if that belief starts to erode, it can range from people no longer endorsing the founder’s actions and words to outright losing respect for the founder’s position. Founders should avoid leaving risks for the future. For core early team members, both titles and equity promises must be clear and explicit—information and expectations should be transparent and on equal footing. Don’t be vague or even deceptive out of fear that someone might not join.