Issue 155, Part Time CEO Newsletter

Hey, it's Dhiren 👋,

This week, a founder in Council told me he was hiring again.

“Great,” I said. “What’s the role?”
“A mix of sales, BD, and a bit of client success,” he replied.

And I could feel it already
Another blurry hire.

Another overloaded team member.
Another founder still doing half the job in their head.

So I asked him what I ask every founder:

“What’s the one thing this person would get fired for if they didn’t do it well?”

He paused.
Then he said, “I’m not sure.”

That’s the real problem.

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🧠 Shift One: Blurry Roles Create Burnout (On Both Sides)

Here’s what happens:

You hire someone to lighten your load.
But you don’t hand over a clear lane.

So they end up doing a little bit of everything
And not quite enough of anything.

They get confused.
You get frustrated.
And the trust starts to crack.
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It doesn’t matter how talented they are.
If they don’t know what “great” looks like, they’ll never win.

And worse? You won’t let go.
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🧠 Shift Two: The One KPI That Sets Everyone Free

The fix is simple, but confronting:
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👉 What’s the one outcome you’re actually hiring them for?
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​The thing you’d fire them for if it didn’t get done.

Not the wishlist.
Not the bolted on responsibilities.
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Instead, the one result that defines success.
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For a Sales Lead, it might be:
→ $50K in new pipeline every month.

For a PM:
→ Every project delivered on time, no escalations.

For an Ops Manager:
→ Gross margins above 60%.

Once that’s clear, you can build backwards:

• SOPs.
• Scorecards.
• Weekly check-ins.

And most importantly? ​
​They know what winning looks like.
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No confusion. No resentment. Just clarity.

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Your Turn

Pick one person on your team.
Ask yourself:
​“If I had to fire them tomorrow, what would be the reason?”

That’s your true KPI.
Now ask yourself, do they know it?

If not, give them the gift of clarity.
Because that’s what real leadership looks like.

🧭 Know a founder who needs to hear this?
Forward this. It could be the push they need.
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📢 Dhiren’s Updates

Samir Geepee, leadership coach and longtime friend of the Council, is leading the monthly Expert Session within the Council:

“What Made You a Founder Won’t Make You a Part-Time CEO”

🗓 Thursday at 4:30 PM

We’ll talk about what needs to shift as you grow; blurry roles, founder control, and how to actually step back without things falling apart.

If you’re serious about building a business that runs without you, this is a must-attend.

As a special gesture, I'm opening this up to members of the community so DM me if you’d like to join.

📌 Dhiren’s Pick of the Week

📘 Radical Candor by Kim Scott

Clarity without being cruel.

This one even made a cameo in hit tv show, Silicon Valley and for good reason. If you haven’t watched it, add it to your list.
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It’s the playbook for honest conversations.

This week’s newsletter was all about setting one clear KPI for your team members. But clarity only works if you’re willing to communicate it.

Radical Candor helps you say what needs to be said without losing trust or compassion. If you’ve ever avoided tough feedback to keep the peace, this book will challenge and change you.
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ps: did someone forward this to you?​
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Cheers,