founder-frameworks_skill

Overview

This skill provides battle-tested mental models and practical frameworks founders use to prioritize work, delegate effectively, make better decisions, and allocate CEO time. It focuses on founder-specific trade-offs—what only you should do, what to delegate, and how to protect high-leverage time. The guidance is actionable and stage-aware, not generic productivity tips.

How this skill works

It maps common founder tasks onto proven frameworks: adapted Eisenhower prioritization, a Leverage Test to score impact, the Delegation Ladder to shift responsibility, reversible vs irreversible decision rules, and time-allocation norms by company stage. For each situation the skill recommends concrete next steps (delegate, schedule, delete, escalate) and quick diagnostic questions like the "Only I Can Do This" test. It also prescribes routines: maker blocks, weekly bucket checks, and pre-mortems for big bets.

When to use it

• When you have more tasks than time and need a repeatable way to choose what to do now
• When deciding what to hire for or what to stop doing
• When delegating work and wanting to scale decision-making without losing control
• Before major bets to separate reversible from irreversible choices
• When structuring weekly time across product, people, and sales

Best practices

• Run a simple Leverage Test: impact, uniqueness, multiplier—prioritize high-leverage work
• Push delegation to Decision or Outcome levels for repeatable functions
• Protect 3–4 hour maker blocks as non-negotiable calendar items
• Treat reversible decisions with bias to action; reserve deep review for irreversible ones
• Audit CEO time by stage and rebalance monthly as roles evolve

Example use cases

• Choosing between iterating product vs. hiring a head of product using the Leverage Test
• Moving routine operational tasks from Level 1 to Level 3 delegation to free CEO time
• Running a pre-mortem before a major pivot or large fundraise
• Reallocating weekly hours into the Three Buckets after a growth milestone
• Deciding whether to pursue a risky 10x initiative or continue incremental 10% improvements