The Loneliest Job in Business: Why Founders Need Advisors, Not Yes-Men
How many times a day do you hear some version of this phrase? If you are a Founder, a CXO, or leading a startup, probably too often.
From the outside, being at the top looks glamorous. You have the control, the vision, and the final say. But those who sit in that chair know the reality: it is incredibly lonely. The weight of every salary, every client commitment, and every strategic pivot rests on your shoulders alone.
When you are the boss, the dynamic changes. Your team, no matter how talented, has a vested interest in pleasing you. They worry about their appraisals, their bonuses, or just keeping the peace. They become an echo chamber. They become "Yes-Men."
And that is dangerous for business.
The Trap of the "Haan Ji" Culture
When everyone around you agrees with your ideas, two things happen:
- Your ego gets a boost: It feels good to be validated constantly. You start believing your own hype.
- Your blind spots grow bigger: If nobody points out the pothole in the road ahead because they are afraid to upset you, you are going to crash the car.
Startups often fail not because the idea was bad, but because the founder was too in love with their original plan and nobody challenged them to pivot when necessary.
Enter the Trusted Advisor
This is why every senior leader needs an external advisor or mentor. Not a consultant you hire for a specific project, but a sounding board—someone who has "been there, done that."
An advisor is different from an employee or even a board member. They don't have "skin in the game" regarding office politics. Their only agenda is your success. They provide the one thing money can’t usually buy in an office: unvarnished truth.
- A Safe Space to Vent: Somewhere you can admit, "I don't know what to do," without fear of judgment or panicking your team.
- The "Mirror" Effect: They reflect reality back to you, challenging your assumptions and asking the uncomfortable questions.
- Pattern Recognition: Experienced advisors have seen similar crises before. They can help you navigate storms because they know the route.
Don't Go It Alone
If you are an EA reading this, encourage your CXO to carve out time for external mentorship. If you are a founder, drop the superhero complex. Admitting you need a second opinion isn't a weakness; it's a strategic advantage.
Seek out someone you respect, someone outside your immediate circle, and give them permission to disagree with you. Your business will thank you for it.