So I think that founders should explicitly plan to step down from the organizations they create.
Not necessarily on a strict schedule, but when the org is capable of standing on its own.
If you explicitly plan to step down, then you will aim towards creating organizations that are resilient and self-sustaining, and carry out something necessary and valuable.
I am explicitly not counting the "I'll sell the company to a FAANG" guys in this, because that is not creating a self-sustaining organization; that is creating a new department for another company.
Think of this like "death of the author' but for organizations.
You've done your part. You've written your piece. Now you get to find out if what you created can live on its own without your intervention, and see how it can grow on its own.
Disclaimer: likely confirmation bias.
I was somewhat surprised to realize that a few organizations I know of had ~1 leadership change in ~30 years of their existence (close to now than their creation) and the change actually worked out fine. In all the cases it was gradual, which might indicate that the plans you mention were there all along, or might be a different contributing factor for success.
