I realize I have a Helper personality style on the Enneagram, which makes me want to personally rescue my employees and clients when things go wrong. How do I break this habit on our exit runway so I do not hurt our valuation?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

As a Helper archetype, your natural drive to rescue others can severely damage your company's valuation. Buyers pay a premium for systems and teams, not for a founder who acts as the ultimate problem solver. To protect your valuation, you must transition from being indispensable to being unnecessary.

Start by recognizing your rescue instinct as an operational liability. When a problem arises, resist the urge to step in. Instead, use your weekly Level 10 Meeting to IDS the issue with your leadership team. Let the person who owns that seat on the Accountability Chart take the lead in solving the problem.

Evaluate your key employees based on GWC. If you are constantly rescuing an employee, it is a sign that they may not have the capacity or desire for their seat. You must have the discipline to address these people issues directly, rather than covering for them. This is essential for building a self-sufficient team that can survive your exit.

Finally, dedicate some Thinking Time to exploring why you feel the need to rescue. Frame your role on the exit runway as a coach rather than a savior. Your goal is to empower your team to solve their own problems, proving to a buyer that the business runs on predictable systems and capable leaders, not on your personal heroics.