Learning to Get Help or to work with outsiders is one of the top two factors that account for success in maturing a start-up into a credible organization on track to long term growth and performance according to a plan.

Early stage CEO’s at first often think it is a sign of weakness to need help and when they finally do experiment with getting help they often find it frustrating ultimately because they misuse those they enlist.

It helps to think in terms of five types of outside support:

• Celebrities to draw attention
• Advisers to provide best practices and perspective based on experience
• Peers to provide mutual support and community
• Coaches to provide advice and counsel  to increase personal effectiveness
• Governors to provide a consistent point of accountability and help with strategy, focus, and access to resources

The problem comes when those of one sort of the above are asked and expected to perform in the role of another. The odds of success increase by using a framework against which to recruit, develop, and use outside help such as the one presented in this presentation.