Can I change our over-bearing founder’s behaviour? Or do I just quit?

Each week, Dr Kirstin Ferguson tackles questions on workplace, career and leadership in her advice column, “Got a Minute?” This week: founder’s syndrome, support for a neurodivergent employee, and long working hours nobody else seems concerned about.

Sometimes, no amount of reasoning will help change a manager.Credit: Dionne Gain

I work in a small organisation, reporting directly to the founder. I care about our company goals, but the founder’s style of managing is overbearing and autocratic. He dictates emails, watching over my shoulder as I type, immediately picking up errors. Despite my experience, he is rarely interested in my contribution; it’s his way or the highway. I suspect “founder’s syndrome” but I’m wondering whether if I can raise this with him, as I know that without awareness, there will be no change. What do you suggest?

Founder behaviour has, quite rightly, been under the microscope lately and the bottom line is there is no excuse for poor leadership. But the reality is, when the founder is also the boss (and especially in a small organisation), it’s much harder to address. I am sorry to say it, but I doubt you will have any luck driving a change in his behaviour.

Unless you are being asked to do something illegal – or he is treating you in a way that breaches workplace employment laws, like bullying or other inappropriate behaviour – you probably have little recourse. He sounds like a micromanager and no amount of reasoning with him is likely to help. Bottom line: I would try and find another job where you will be treated with respect and will be given autonomy and responsibility.

I’m in my early 40s, working in a corporate role, and have recently been diagnosed with ADHD (I’m also waiting on an autism diagnosis). My company is progressive on many issues, like working from home and support for LGBTQ employees, and has even sent out company-wide invitations for seminars on neurodiversity. I disclosed my diagnosis to my two managers when I was first diagnosed, and one of my managers encouraged me to submit a “work health and safety” (WHS) report disclosing my neurodiversity and the associated challenges. I considered it, but after speaking to the HR team, there did not appear to be any accommodations or support available. Given my organisation has started educating staff about neurodiversity, should they also be offering targeted support and resources?

First things first, it sounds like you work in a company that really cares, which is important and great news. I would follow through on your manager’s suggestion to submit a WHS report, so you have placed your neurodiversity on the record in case there are any incidents in the future you need to work through.

In terms of accommodations or support, I wonder whether this is all relatively new for your employer to consider (just as it has been new for you to have received the diagnosis), and so perhaps there is an opportunity for you to work with your company on what support will be suitable? I would speak to your manager, or the person in the company responsible for these kinds of programs, and explain your needs. If you are unsure of what you need yet, let them know that too. Try and have as open a conversation as you can and understand that they will probably be learning as well, and together you can come up with ideas that will not just help you, but help other neurodivergent employees now and in the future.

I feel confident you will be able to navigate this with the support of your employer if you can both listen openly to one another and admit this may be something you will all need to resolve openly together.

The staff in my team work from 8am until 6pm, or later, nearly every day. I think it is highly unreasonable to expect us to work those hours every day. Our HR manager will not budge, as he argues that it is clearly in our employment contracts and that is what happens when you are on a salary. Is this common workplace practice now?

Working long hours is, sadly, expected in many professions for salaried employees. Your employer does have a duty of care to protect you from fatigue and other mental and physical conditions that can develop by consistently working long hours. However, whether working two extra hours per day would constitute a breach of duty of care is likely to be contested, and it sounds like your employer is not going to budge. It may be that the profession you are in has cultural issues where these kinds of hours are accepted by most employees. If that is the case, you are probably right to think about a different kind of role altogether.

To submit a question about work, careers or leadership, visit kirstinferguson.com/ask. You will not be asked to provide your name or any identifying information. Letters may be edited.

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