In short, when all startups are complaining that people don't show initiative/don't have alignment/etc. what they're really saying is that they have inadequate Command and Control!
These approaches and processes for keeping people working together with unity of purpose towards a series of objectives have been refined over thousands of years and under the most difficult circumstances. Ignore them at your (and your team's) peril.
I wrote an article some time ago to reframe this in a business context: https://adamdrake.com/command-and-control.html
In short, when all startups are complaining that people don't show initiative/don't have alignment/etc. what they're really saying is that they have inadequate Command and Control!
These approaches and processes for keeping people working together with unity of purpose towards a series of objectives have been refined over thousands of years and under the most difficult circumstances. Ignore them at your (and your team's) peril.