Your ego is not bigger than the company.
At times you might have to serve tea to your guests or worse the maid does not turn up one day and you end up cleaning your office loo floor. SO WHAT? Is it a big embarrassment for you, I don’t think so, a firm NO. Work is work and work is worship. Am a non believer in God but I do believe in the formula that good work pays not prayers!
Just out of context – When we were kids before the exams our parents used to say that you should take ‘Bhagwaan ka aashirwaad’ you will perform well in your exams (ya right!) Post which I used to ask this – “if I have not studied even then?” The discussion used to take a different angle hence not talking about it further! All am saying is that you will have to believe in HARD WORK nothing else.
Everyone is the BOSS, so act like one.
Each individual in an start up is the boss, not literally but in a larger sense of things. So you should do/ think/ act on issues like each decision impacts your organisation directly. It is not a 10000 people company where your work gets reviewed by atleast half a dozen more managers and you ‘safely’ go ahead and make mistakes! Take ownership.
The biggest joke – “This is not my job”
Oh hell yes, everything is my job. There is no space for such a statement in a StartUp. Unless something is totally impossible for you to handle, it remains a job that can be picked up by an enthusiastic StartUp employee, like yourself! Going by the employee strength, there is nothing that can be someone else’s job, as everyone already has a packed schedule of 25hours in a 24 hour day.
Take Initiatives
If you feel something has to be done, then you better take initiative and get that thing started YOURSELF, you cannot expect someone else to start it for you, unless that is how the hierarchy is! Well, in that case am not sure it’s still considered a StartUp. In the overall betterment of the organisation, it’s actually good that a concept is headed by the person who actually thinks it to be a good idea than (it) being carried on by a different person (though within the same company).
Work with the right ‘Attitude’
You may not be perfect in what you do or what you have been asked to do. But do you have the right attitude to work in a small group? Do you crib for small-small issues or work for the larger goal? If something is bothering you, bring it to the notice of the right person or for that matter, the founder of the company.
No one between you and the Founder
This is the beauty of working in a StartUp, there is no one between you and the founder. Talk to the person(s) who have put their money (and sweat) into this company! Make sure you share your thoughts/ideas/ and work with all your conviction.