A mark of success for a start-up

I have worked with many, many start-ups over the last 15 years and have developed criteria for those that will be successful within a few hours of working with them. There is one however that stands out from the others — the ability to listen. I have found that a CEO who is willing to listen and incorporate feedback from trusted sources has a much better chance of success than those who think that they have all the answers.  I can't tell you how many CEO's I have worked with that hire great, experienced people and then don't heed their advice.  In some instances they don't even solicit it.  I've categorized them into several types.  There are the "cowboys" who believe they are riding alone and blazing the trail of glory — usually off a cliff. Then there are the "big thinkers" who are convinced that they are the only one with the right idea.  No one else can even imagine the future that they can. Unfortunately they don't pay attention to the customer either and the company/product begins to fall apart.  Lastly, there is the "blind"  CEO who is so convinced that they are going in the right direction that they are blind to external factors that are pointing to a dramatic failure. I don't want to diminish the effort that goes into starting a company.  It is hard, all consuming, and requires great passion. I've seen many good ideas fall by the wayside because of the shortcomings of a founding CEO. From a business and human capital perspective, a lot of money and energy gets wasted. And from the soul, the hopes and dreams of all involved never see the light of day.