Founder Control and Power—Why Checks, Balances, and Healthy Dissent Are Crucial in Teams

Great leaders can transform organizations, but unchecked power—even from the best-intentioned founder—creates risk. Research in corporate governance shows that when decisions are concentrated in a single leader or tight group, blind spots grow, bad news gets ignored, and groupthink hardens. This isn’t just theory: from global startups to neighborhood associations, repeated stories show that overconfidence paired with a lack of accountability leads to costly mistakes, conflicts of interest, and sometimes spectacular collapses.

Systems that lack rotation of roles, independent review, or real channels for dissent are particularly vulnerable, even when they’re full of talented people. The best-run groups find ways to structure feedback mechanisms, formalize audit and review cycles, and designate safe ways for team members to voice disagreement. This approach doesn’t just avert disaster, it actually improves decision quality: dissent sparks new ideas and uncovers flaws before they become fatal. As uncomfortable as friction may feel, cognitive diversity is repeatedly shown to boost outcomes and resilience.

The smart move is to turn checks and balances into everyday habits, not just rescue tools for crisis.

Sit down with your group this week and map who controls the biggest decisions—note where power is concentrated. Propose rotating responsibilities or bringing in outside reviewers for key projects. During your next meeting, set aside time to invite structured pushback, maybe even reward strong counter-arguments. These steps will strengthen your team’s safety nets, reveal hidden risks, and—over time—build trust that survives tough moments. Put at least one of these practices into play this month.