While the excitement around Pokemon Go may already be cooling off for some – perhaps to the relief of those who never quite understood the point in the first place – its 20-year journey from initial concept to “overnight success” has been the subject of a good deal of media attention.
Such technological trends and crazes have the capacity to turn company molehills into mountains. From Google and Facebook, to Angry Birds and Candy Crush, apps and social media platforms have, in particular, become synonymous with seemingly-immediate successes when they hit on a magic formula that captures the attention and imagination of an eager public.
In the process, they have carried their creators and early investors towards fame, wealth and unimagined success, while also very often planting them at the foot of another not inconsiderable challenge.
That challenge is the future leadership of the companies that must form around their nascent ideas. It is one thing to create a world-beating concept and prove its viability, but quite a different prospect to provide strategic direction to a growing behemoth. There is a point in time at all such businesses when the seat-of-your-pants, do-it-yourself leadership approach will no longer be sufficient.
Such a position is also true of every other entrepreneur who successfully grows a small business into an evidently successful concept, whatever industry they might be in. There will similarly come a moment when their start-up mindset will have to be significantly adjusted to account for the leadership of a business that has become an entirely different beast. One day, they will raise their heads to realise they have multiple employees, customers and other stakeholders, all making demands on their time and laying expectations at their door.
At this point, many of the things that might have made them perfect start-up entrepreneurs may actually start working against them. Whether they’re a technical genius with a winning invention or a culinary whizz with a sterling restaurant concept, the early development of their final
product in all likelihood required a huge quantity of specialist knowledge, total single-minded belief, and a fair amount of unilateral action.
When a business grows, however, these attributes can start to act as a drag on effectiveness, holding a person back from being the leader their organisation needs. Instead of complete focus on one thing, they need a far broader perspective to strategise and compete in the market. Rather than acting unilaterally, they need to learn to delegate, release control and realise they cannot micromanage every aspect. Their decisions must be weighted with far more varied considerations – employee engagement, shareholder responsibilities, public relations, for example – and listening to opinions becomes a must, rather than a source of likely distraction.
It is also not an irrelevant question for a would-be leader to not only ask themselves whether they are ready to lead, but also whether they really want to. Some people may have arrived at this juncture driven by a genuine and enduring passion for a very particular subject area. They will now be expected to become invested and engaged with things like human resources, corporate strategy and company finances. They may need to start caring about stock prices and reporting standards, and get used to the idea of being in the public eye while doing so.
For some, this will be a natural – even desired – step. For others, it could be a path that draws them far away from the aspect of the work they really loved. Certainly you can see this possible reaction in the examples of serial entrepreneurs who are highly driven when creating new ideas, but who seem to lose heart and interest once they’ve made something a success.
The often unconventional route that start-up entrepreneurs take towards leadership can, then, be both a blessing and a curse, principally because they might arrive there without the more expected background of continual skills development and experience. While this evidently doesn’t negatively affect every such leader, it still requires entrepreneurs to shift their way of thinking substantially.
They must realise, above all, that a successful business idea doesn’t automatically qualify them as a successful business leader, and they should be prepared to apply a similar level of drive and dedication towards mastering the second as they did with the first.
Ahmad Badr is chief executive of Abu Dhabi University Knowledge Group.
business@thenational.ae
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
SPECS
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
More coverage from the Future Forum
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 502hp at 7,600rpm
Torque: 637Nm at 5,150rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh317,671
On sale: now
LIKELY TEAMS
South Africa
Faf du Plessis (captain), Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Lungi Ngidi.
India (from)
Virat Kohli (captain), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik (wkt), Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Fixture: Liechtenstein v Italy, Tuesday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match is shown on BeIN Sports
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
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North Pole stats
Distance covered: 160km
Temperature: -40°C
Weight of equipment: 45kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 0
Terrain: Ice rock
South Pole stats
Distance covered: 130km
Temperature: -50°C
Weight of equipment: 50kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300
Terrain: Flat ice
The biog
From: Ras Al Khaimah
Age: 50
Profession: Electronic engineer, worked with Etisalat for the past 20 years
Hobbies: 'Anything that involves exploration, hunting, fishing, mountaineering, the sea, hiking, scuba diving, and adventure sports'
Favourite quote: 'Life is so simple, enjoy it'
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
England's all-time record goalscorers:
Wayne Rooney 53
Bobby Charlton 49
Gary Lineker 48
Jimmy Greaves 44
Michael Owen 40
Tom Finney 30
Nat Lofthouse 30
Alan Shearer 30
Viv Woodward 29
Frank Lampard 29
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now