Look at the evidence
Compare the agreed role with decisions actually permitted.
Check access to information and cross-team resources.
Review founder interventions that support or override the mandate.
A case to think through
A new operations leader is told to run delivery while staff continue taking priorities directly from the founder. The reporting structure and behaviour conflict.
This is a hypothetical operating example, not a client result.Avoid a misleading conclusion
Changing the person without changing the mandate can reproduce the same dependency with the next hire.
Leadership independence is compatible with valuable founder involvement. Look for managers who can own outcomes within clear boundaries, coordinate shared constraints and surface risk appropriately. An org chart or confident meeting performance is a starting point for questions, not proof that the team can operate independently.
Your evidence check
Bring supporting and contrary examples. A self-reported answer is a starting point; these notes do not calculate or validate a score.
| Prompt | Notes from your case |
|---|---|
| Role promise | |
| actual authority | |
| information | |
| founder override | |
| team route |
Does a senior title establish authority?
No. Authority must be explicit, usable and consistent with formal controls and actual behaviour.
See the wider pattern.
20 questions. An indicative, self-reported result with a five-dimension profile and an optional conversation.
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