Dave Clark, the former CEO of Flexport, resigned in September 2023 after just a year at the company. His departure was unexpected and messy, and it has raised questions about his management style and his ability to lead a high-growth startup.
Clark came to Flexport with a lot of experience. He had spent 23 years at Amazon, where he rose through the ranks to become the company’s senior vice president of worldwide operations and then CEO of Amazon worldwide consumer business. He was known for his ruthlessly efficient management style and his ability to get things done.
However, Clark’s success at Amazon did not translate to success at Flexport. He struggled to adapt to the company’s culture and to build relationships with its employees. He ran into major issues with the founder and board.
Clark’s exit from Flexport offers a number of critical career lessons:
Lesson 1: Success at a big company does not guarantee success at a high-growth startup.
Big companies and high-growth startups are very different beasts. Big companies are typically bureaucratic and process-oriented. High-growth startups are typically agile and entrepreneurial. Leaders who are successful at big companies often find it difficult to adapt to the fast-paced and chaotic environment of a startup.
Lesson 2: Emotional intelligence is critical for navigating a founder-operator dynamic.
Many high-growth startups are led by founders who are passionate about their businesses and who have a strong vision for the future. These founders can be difficult to work with, and they can be demanding of their employees. Leaders who are successful at working with founders need to have a high level of emotional intelligence. They need to be able to manage their emotions, build trust with the founder, and provide constructive feedback.
Lesson 3: It’s important to be careful about not running away from something when you make an important career decision
Clark’s last year at Amazon was not very successful. There were rumors that he was pushed out. When he joined Flexport, he initially took on the role of Co-CEO which is a strange arrangement. For someone with his caliber and experience, it felt like he was running away from something, not running toward something.
It’s important to be honest with yourself about your reasons for leaving a job. If you’re running away from something, it’s likely that you’ll face the same challenges at your new job. It’s better to face your challenges head-on and to find a job that you’re truly excited about.
Dave Clark’s messy exit from Flexport offers a number of valuable career lessons. Leaders who are considering leaving a big company to join a high-growth startup should carefully consider the challenges involved. They should also make sure that they have the emotional intelligence to navigate a founder-operator dynamic. Finally, they should be honest with themselves about their reasons for leaving their current job.