Talk to the CEO to hear the best aspects of a company. 

Talk to the front-line workers to hear the worst. 

Never, not once, have I seen a scenario where the front-line workers describe the inner workings of a company the same as the CEO does. 

This isn't a problem, it's to be expected. 

These two different viewpoints provide the blueprint for growth. 

As a leader, your job is to figure out how to bridge that gap. 

How do I solve each problem front-line workers experience so I can make the CEO's utopia vision become a reality? 

That's the job of startup leadership.

If you're considering taking a leadership job at a startup, don't just speak to the CEO...

Spend 3x more time speaking to the front-line workers.

The info they share is how you know what you're signing up for.

That said, if the gap between how the CEO views the company VS how the front-line workers do is too far apart, it may not be possible to repair on your own. 

But if the CEO at least somewhat acknowledges the same issues, then you're in a good position to be able to make things better.

Happy Selling,