Lessons · Molly Graham
articleprincipleThe Management Pretzel 🥨
14 August 2026People
Source excerpt
About LessonsThe cost of trying too hard to make someone successful or happy
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Apollo layer
What a founder can learn
Founder takeaway
Don’t contort the company around one person’s success or happiness. When support turns into repeated exceptions, unclear accountability, or redesigning a role to avoid a hard conversation, the manager may be postponing a mismatch rather than solving it.
Why it matters
Founder attention, team trust, and operating clarity are scarce. Excessive accommodation can consume all three while signaling that standards and responsibilities are negotiable.
Relevant guides
Put it to work
Identify one person you are working unusually hard to accommodate. Ask: “What would the role and expectations look like if I designed them for the company rather than for this individual?” Then address the largest gap directly.
Private notes