3 things to avoid to keep a growing business growing
The goal of any company, no matter the industry, undeniably is to grow. That generally happens by offering an in-demand product or service, through a smart vision, with good people, and effective management.
At some point, though, a growing company will inevitably hit a crossroads, when it either shifts to that next level of growth, or it plateaus and regresses.
So what’s the trick to keep growing and avoiding a fall?
Kelly Byrd, Executive Coach with Elevatus Architecture, has identified three things a business should avoid to keep growing so complacency does not cripple it.
Elevatus Architecture Executive Coach Kelly Byrd
HEADS DOWN
Growth can often mean more work, which is a good thing, but with more work to do and more on the line, employees or managers can feel pressured to keep their heads down and work even harder.
But when you think back about what got the business rolling in the first place, it likely wasn’t a room of workers grinding away with their heads down. More than likely, heads were up, looking for and chasing down new opportunities or methods to leverage. They were focused on the vision.
Companies that continue to grow fight off complacency, and avoid busy. A staff with their heads down, bogged down in tasks, can miss opportunities to improve.
Here’s the challenge: We all have 18 things we need to get done before 5 p.m. tomorrow. Find ways to get those 18 things done, but also find time to identify 1 thing you can improve on in the next 30 days, and work on it.
HEARTS CLOSED
Think back again to those days when the business just got rolling. What was the culture like? Most startups begin with energy, and an “us against the world” mentality that comes from a shared vision.
Well, as a business grows and more and more employees are added, that sense of “we” can fade. Growth can be a natural enemy of camaraderie.
The challenge for a growing business is find ways and create opportunities to foster relationships with and within the workforce. A business whose staff collectively buys in to the vision and works together with and for each other to achieve it will continue to grow.
HALF-ASSED
Pardon the French, but growth is demanding. As a business finds success with a product or service and grows, the demand for an even better product or service increases. That increased demand requires harder and smarter work.
For a growing business to keep growing, meeting and exceeding that need is crucial. The business must commit and focus more than ever before. It’s no time rest on its laurels. It’s no time to get lackadaisical. It’s no time to cut corners. It’s time to go all in, all over again, day in and day out.
The name of the game for a growing business looking to continue its growth is urgency. Take swift action – smart fast wins. Whatever needs to be done, do it now, and don’t put it off.
Growth takes work, and a whole lot of TLC.
