Most organisation (in my country at least) have a written set of objectives and a legal structure which diffuses power.

Any co-op, limited company, charitable association, etc can provide a good model - depending on the nature of the project.

As I say, it is probably overkill for most OSS projects. But once you get to a certain size, I think it is obvious that you need a way to ensure the project's longevity.

The death or disgrace of a CEO rarely destroys a company. There's a board their to temper their behaviour, a structure to ensure succession, and (most importantly) a set of expectations upon which their community can rely.

I'm not saying that's the only way to do it. I'm not even suggesting it is the perfect way to do it. But I think it is better than hoping the BDFL doesn't implode.

Non-profit entity has usually more drama. And, you can still be “dictator” of a non-profit.

Sadly plenty of boards are filled with CEO sycophants, so even that model is not immune.