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Of Google's countless projects, only about 50% succeed. The company even runs a unique space called 'The Google Cemetery' that displays tombstones of discontinued services. Google dissects these failures like autopsying a body, identifying direct and indirect causes of problems, documenting them precisely, and establishing countermeasures.
Open innovation is a paradigm where companies must intentionally bring in external ideas and technologies, share internal assets with the outside world, and create value to survive and grow. In other words, it's about breaking down organizational boundaries and increasing the probability of innovation through active external engagement—clearly demonstrating why 'absorptive capacity' is a core competitive advantage for modern startups.
Even the clearest vision remains an empty slogan without collective efficacy—the shared belief that the team can execute it. An overly grand vision can overwhelm and paralyze a team. One of a founder's most important roles is not just to articulate a vision but to design and build the team's self-efficacy.
CODEX 20: How to Build a Small but Strong Team
Assembling top individuals doesn't make a team. This article outlines how to design a small but solid team using three principles—role design, execution autonomy, and communication structure—along with the Quinn and Cameron organizational growth model.
"Our team is made up of only the best talent." Many founders boast about their team's credentials and feel certain of success. It's like believing that putting the best violinist, cellist, and pianist in one room will produce a great symphony.
But in reality, they each play solo performances without creating a single harmony. That's because there's no sheet music (structure) to play together and no conductor (leadership).
Clarifying R&R means defining who is ultimately accountable for results in which domain. This reduces confusion among team members while motivating them to take ownership and solve problems proactively.
Just because responsibilities are clear doesn't mean execution has to be rigid. In fact, the clearer the responsibilities, the more flexible execution can be within them.
Freedom in methodology: The specific methods for achieving goals are left to the person in charge.
Fast problem-solving: Enables immediate on-the-ground response without complex approval processes.
Boundary-free collaboration: Because roles are clear, collaboration with other team members becomes more natural.
For example, if 'growing Service A's MAU by 10%' is the team's clear responsibility, then what promotions to design, which channels to use, and what data to analyze are left to the team's discretion.
Even with perfect division of roles, if team members don't share context with each other, execution happens in silos. In startups, communication is not an individual skill but team infrastructure.
Structured communication : Don't rely on improvised conversations. In meetings, clarify the decision point, decision-maker, criteria, and next actions. Build an asynchronous communication system using Slack, documents, and archives to strengthen execution.
Psychological safety : A culture where mistakes and differing opinions can be shared honestly is essential. Leaders must first share their own mistakes and draw out team voices through open questions.
According to Albert Mehrabian's 7-38-55 rule, in conveying emotions and attitudes, verbal content accounts for 7%, tone of voice 38%, and facial expressions 55%. A culture where transparent and constructive feedback flows is not just about atmosphere—it's survival infrastructure.
Startups need completely different organizational forms depending on their growth stage. The Quinn and Cameron organizational growth model provides a blueprint for this evolution.
Stage 1: Creativity Stage (1–10 people)
The goal is survival and PMF exploration. A flat structure centered around the leader moves quickly and flexibly. Speed and experimentation take priority over formal processes.
Stage 2: Formalization Stage (10–50 people)
Growth and market expansion period. Functional teams emerge, and roles, processes, and decision-making criteria begin to be documented. Values around 'why we do this work' are shared.
Stage 3: Delegation Stage (around 50 people)
Execution authority is delegated to middle managers. Performance management systems like KPI/OKR are introduced so each team operates autonomously.
Stage 4: Coordination/Integration Stage (50+ people)
Business model stabilization period. Through defined processes and collaboration systems, multiple teams align under a single objective.
First, design the structure first.
Before setting strategy, define the team structure that will execute that strategy. Diagnose where the current growth stage is and choose the most suitable structure—flat, functional, or project-based. Without structure, no strategy can be executed.
Second, define R&R but ensure execution autonomy.
Clearly define who is ultimately accountable for results in which domain. However, leave the methods for achieving goals to the team's discretion. The clearer the responsibility, the higher the execution agility.
Third, design communication rules.
Don't rely on improvised conversations. Set the meeting structure (decision point, decision-maker, criteria, next action) and build an asynchronous communication system (Slack, documents, archives). Create a culture where honest feedback flows, grounded in psychological safety.
Feedback Loop Questions
Q1. Where does our team's current growth stage fall in the Quinn and Cameron model?
Q2. Can each team member explain their R&R in one sentence?
Q3. Are responsibilities clear while autonomy in execution methods is ensured?
Q4. Are 'decision point, decision-maker, criteria, and next action' clearly documented in every meeting?
Q5. Is it an environment where team members can speak openly about mistakes or differing opinions?
[Startup Codex 22]
Brunch author jaha Kim has granted permission for this content to be used and produced.