the decision to replace an underperformer is not always as obvious as it might seem. In a startup, the shock to a small, tight-knit team could be considerable. In many cases, even when the damage an underperformer is doing to the company’s value is clear, the founder-CEO or other founders simply can’t bring themselves to throw one of their own overboard. Particularly when the division of labor is not very clear, the lack of individual accountability can be a trap. It can be too hard for the founder-CEO to justify an underperformer’s dismissal to others on the team, or it can be too easy for
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