‘Because the ego started to grow bigger than the project itself’: a case study of founder’s syndrome on an educational community of practise

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn 2010 I worked at Green Shoots, a nonprofit service-learning urban farming school started by John Browne. Despite an openly egalitarian community of practise ethic, Browne used his leadership to create a hierarchy at the school that eventually led to a walk-out by staff in which he responded by outright firing them. Using the theory of founder’s syndrome, or the tendency of a founder to subvert the aims of their organization, I examine Browne’s leadership and how his attitude destroyed the community of practise at Green Shoots. Findings reveal a character profile of Browne as a charming and inspirational teacher who engaged in a dominating leadership that contradicted the community of practise's ideals, creating further contradictions which resulted in disrespected students, disillusioned staff, and a founder unable to take responsibility for his leadership. Finally, I discuss the importance of addressing the power of founders so that founder’s syndrome does not impede the important work of educational nonprofits.