The Soul of Startups

CHAPTER 7The Collectivist versus The Individualist

Collectivism versus Individualism has been one of the paramount success factors for startups as we know it. Every founder is persistently reminded of who they need to become and how to behave to run a successful business. These are paramount of all the qualities they're expected to have, albeit most have not done this before. So, what is it about these two distinctions that make them a better leader than the other, and what if I found a way to debunk these superficial terms for startups? Just because it's a critical philosophy that you learn in sociology doesn't necessarily mean that it's the recipe for success in a startup, does it?

A RELATIONSHIP‐LIKE CULTURE

A collectivistic society manifests from having close, long‐term commitments to any members of the group, sometimes whether a family, extended family, or relationships. While collectivists are motivated by group goals and would readily sacrifice their benefit to recognize their team's success, they are also sometimes seen to be too loyal where it overrides most other rules of engagement.

In general, it is said that there are many benefits of having a collectivistic leader in the community. When everyone makes decisions, real success is when the team typically feels responsible for making the right decisions. They would agree that the best way to solve problems is first to understand the tasks that would benefit the team altogether rather than having a single person ...