Even when there seems to be clarity within the executive hierarchy, this clarity can be compromised when non-CEO founders serve on the board of directors. If one founder is CEO but other founders are on the board, it is less clear that the CEO has the final say within the executive team. Similarly, if the CEO has a subordinate who is also on the board to which the CEO reports, their power relationship can be unclear. Having a non-CEO founder on the board can even interfere with the board’s effectiveness. For instance, if a founder-CEO who is facing challenging cofounder issues wants to get the
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