Hire people smarter then you and stay out of the way.
The details.
I had a meeting this morning with the founder of a software company. For the first 6 minutes (he timed it, not me), Tim explained his vision of what he thought would solve a particular problem. Painted the picture.
Next, was the crucial comment: “I’m not smart enough to pull this off so I got way smarter people in here. I’ll let them tell you the plan.”
One by one, they offered up how they were going to solve or deliver on their particular piece of the puzzle.
You are probably thinking, well duh, this is how it always works. It actually doesn’t. The number of founders who try to impress us with control, grasp of everything, etc, etc, is shockingly common.
Tim was brilliant. He didn’t interrupt people, didn’t correct people and was sitting in the room with obvious pride in the team. It was great to watch.
You don’t have to prove to my partners and I how much you personally know when you can prove/show a crack team that can deliver the goods. In that world, enjoy the founder title and enjoy the ride.
Bonus: On this topic, read Fred Wilson’s VC Cliche of the Week. His message is pretty much the same, check your ego at the door and surround yourself with smart people.
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