Why ‘Think Like an Entrepreneur’ Fails to Build Employee Accountability

Forcing ‘entrepreneurial thinking’ backfires. A former VC’s surprising fix? Stronger teams, not incentives, unlock real employee responsibility.

, and Administrator

2025 November 28 . 9:01 AM

1 min read

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Why ‘Think Like an Entrepreneur’ Fails to Build Employee Accountability

Many startup founders push their teams to 'think like entrepreneurs' in the hope of driving accountability. But this approach often fails to deliver the expected results. Julius Bachmann, a former venture capitalist and now CEO coach for scale-ups, argues that a different strategy is needed to solve the problem of employees not taking ownership.

Bachmann, who founded Bachmann Catalyst, has spent years working with startup leaders. He noticed a recurring issue: even when companies introduce individual incentives, employees still avoid taking full responsibility. The traditional method of encouraging entrepreneurial thinking rarely works as intended.

Bachmann’s work highlights a key insight for growing companies: ownership doesn’t come from individual pressure but from stronger team bonds. Startups that invest in team relationships may see better results than those relying on traditional motivational tactics. His coaching continues to help leaders rethink how they build accountability in their teams.