Decide in 30 Days: The Discipline That Builds Strong Teams

Hiring is the most important action any startup will take. It’s also where good intentions often create the most quiet damage if leaders aren’t willing to be honest.

Clear job descriptions can be crafted. A smart interview process can be designed. Weeks can be spent searching for the right candidate. And all of that matters.

But the truth is this: early-stage companies don’t run on tidy org charts. Roles shift fast. Priorities can flip overnight. One day the team is focused on product; the next, a customer crisis erupts or the entire go-to-market approach needs rethinking. Startups thrive on ambiguity—and not everyone is built for it.

Some individuals need predictability and well-defined lanes. That doesn’t make them poor performers. It simply means they’re in the wrong environment. And it almost always becomes clear within the first 30 days.

Most teams hesitate at this point. They stall. They convince themselves, Maybe this person just needs time. No one wants to hurt feelings or admit the fit isn’t there. So the team waits.

But maybe doesn’t help anyone. If someone struggles with constant flux—if they can’t find ways to deliver while the ground keeps moving—more time won’t solve it. Keeping them in a role that doesn’t suit them isn’t kindness. It’s unfair.

Everyone benefits when the call is made early. Direct, compassionate, and clear feedback helps people move toward environments that match their strengths.

It’s critical to set expectations from the start: startups aren’t for everyone. The highs are high, but the demands are relentless. Those who need steadiness and clear boundaries will find better fits elsewhere.

So yes—build a thoughtful process. Be deliberate and fair. But when it’s clear it isn’t working, have the discipline to act.

Decide in 30 days. Move forward. That’s how strong companies are built—and how people are respected enough to be told the truth.