Episode #618: Leaders need to recognise when they’re not the best leader for their business - with Tameron Chappell

Why do so many businesses hit a ceiling at around 10 employees?

Many founders start their business because they're brilliant at what they do. In the early days, decisions are fast, communication is simple, and the founder sits at the centre of everything.

Then the business grows.

Suddenly, what made the business successful starts to become the thing holding it back.

In this episode of ScaleUp Radio, Kevin Brent speaks with Tameron Chappell, founder of  Athinka, a business psychology consultancy that helps organisations build healthier, higher-performing teams using evidence-based psychology rather than management fads and airport business books.

Tameron explains why the transition beyond 10 employees is one of the most challenging moments in a founder's journey, how personality dynamics influence team performance far more than technical capability, and why shared leadership is critical for sustainable growth.

About Tameron Chappell

Tameron is the founder of  Athinka, a consultancy specialising in business psychology and team effectiveness.

Working primarily with startups and scale-ups, Tameron combines psychodynamic and systemic approaches to help founders and leadership teams understand the hidden patterns, behaviours and relationships that influence performance.

His work often begins when traditional consulting approaches have failed to deliver lasting results, helping organisations uncover the deeper causes of team dysfunction and leadership challenges.

In this episode:

Why businesses often stall at 10 employees

Many founders unknowingly create a business model that relies entirely on them.

As the team grows, this becomes unsustainable. The founder becomes the bottleneck for decisions, problem-solving and accountability.

Tameron explains why the 10-person mark is a critical inflection point and why leaders must begin building shared ownership and leadership much earlier than they think.

The uncomfortable reality of scaling leadership

One of the biggest mindset shifts for founders is recognising that they may not always be the best person for their current role.

Growth requires leaders to continually evolve and sometimes redefine their responsibilities.

Tameron discusses why succession planning, delegation and leadership development should be part of the scaling conversation from day one.

Why personality matters more than technical skills

Recruitment often focuses heavily on experience, qualifications and technical competence.

However, Tameron argues that personality fit, behavioural tendencies and stress responses are often far better predictors of long-term success.

Past performance in one environment does not guarantee success in another.

Understanding how individuals naturally operate under pressure can significantly improve hiring decisions and team performance.

Understanding the psychology behind team dynamics

Rather than viewing personality through simplistic labels and categories, Tameron describes personality as a complex mixing deck of traits that interact differently depending on circumstances.

Helping team members understand their own preferences and those of colleagues can reduce conflict, improve communication and increase trust.

Evidence-based business psychology

Athinka's approach is grounded in established psychological theory and research.

The consultancy combines:

• Psychodynamic approaches to explore the relationship between an individual's inner world and workplace behaviour.

• Systemic approaches to uncover hidden organisational patterns and group dynamics.

The result is practical insight that helps teams function more effectively and leaders make better decisions.

Standout Quote

"Most businesses don't stop growing because of strategy. They stop growing because the founder's control model no longer works."

Key Takeaways

• The 10-employee mark is often the first major scaling challenge.

• Founders must evolve their leadership style as the business grows.

• Shared leadership creates stronger, more resilient organisations.

• Personality and behavioural fit matter more than technical skills alone.

• Team effectiveness improves when people understand how others naturally operate.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

Internal Family Systems - https://ifs-institute.com/

Lumina Splash App - https://luminalearning.com/our-products/lumina-splash-app

Co-Pilot -

Claude -

 

From Tameron:

If you’re a founder and you’re curious about the psychology underneath your business — the patterns, the dynamics, the parts of you that show up under pressure — here are some resources I often recommend:

• Edgar Schein’s work on Humble Leadership for the fundamental shift from ‘expert' to open-minded curiosity which is the foundation of all relational leadership.
• Mike Hohnen’s practical interpretation of Dave Snowden’s Cynefin model, especially for founders navigating complexity, pace and ambiguity. Mike makes complexity human and usable.
• Richard Schwartz’s Internal Family Systems (IFS) for understanding your inner architecture, your triggers, and how to lead yourself with more clarity and compassion. His book No Bad Parts is a great entry point.
• Systemic thinking for teams and organisations = anything that helps you uncover the hidden patterns around you. John Whittington’s blogs (start with his views on Founders and their Origin Story https://www.linkedin.com/posts/johntkwhittington_systemiccoaching-founders-theoriginstory-activity-7452030365994569728-s7wJ?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAC1NiYBYHjcV1QthjsMa96N6IIja61N-Mo ), Jan Jacob Stam’s Systemic Leadership, and Tess Cope’s Harness and Your Team Is Not The Issue are excellent.
• Trait‑based personality models such as Lumina Spark, Hogan, or NEO Primary Colours. These help you understand behaviour under pressure and in context. (N.B. Not Type tools like MBTI, DISC, Insights or Strengths, they’re fun and ubiquitous, but they don’t stand up to psychological scrutiny.
• If you want something highly practical, David Marquet’s intent‑based leadership work (Turn the Ship Around, Leadership is Language) and his short Leadership Nudges videos on YouTube are brilliant for everyday behavioural shifts.

And of course… if you’ve got humans in your business and don’t fancy reading all these theories and ideas come and find me - I’m always curious about your world, your successes and challenges. Find me on LinkedIn or at [e-mail] and if you mention you came across me via Kevin’s podcast I can offer you a no-strings-attached Diagnostic Conversation where we can focus on your situation, leadership, team and organisation.