“So what’s the vision for the future?” asked one of our CIO friends.
“To be really great at what we’re doing today.”
“Sure, but I mean what’s the vision for growth?”
“I don’t have a vision for growth.”
“How are you going to make sure you stay relevant?”
“Well, I don’t see those two being the same thing. I think we can stay very relevant without growth. In fact, we can probably do a better job of staying relevant without growth, at least forced growth.”
Though I had this particular conversation last week, it was similar to lots of others. Many folks ask about our vision for growth, not surprising since we’re a small company. I answer consistently and confidently that growth is not one of the top things on my mind, but then I always experience some doubt for at least a few hours after the discussion.
Am I missing something? Is the old adage of ‘grow or die’ true?
Luckily it doesn’t take me long to get my bearings and come back to the happy place that growth is not something an organization should be pursing as a main goal. Now, we do pursue excellence in the products and services we have chosen to produce, and we are very, very vigilant about making sure those are the most relevant in the marketplace for our readers and advertisers. I believe this — and not growth — should be my top priority as leader of our organization.
I’ve seen too many growth efforts go awry, big time. I’ve seen, from both inside and out, how the resources of an organization can be frittered away on even a potential acquisition (think endless due diligence) — an oftentimes no deal happens at all. I’ve seen organizations in our industry swallow others only to sufferer from a fatal case of indigestion (picture the snake that’s just consumed a gazelle). Rather than a quick pit stop, the merger winds up being the final resting place of a company that may have been humming around the track.
Another way that growth can stymie an organization is by forcing it into disparate directions, scattering its shot here and there, when it used to hammer its resources home every time. If only it had stayed the course, we think, were might it be today? “If only I had continued those karate lessons …”
And then there is the issue of rapid growth resulting in reduced service levels, either because the factory can’t crank out that many widgets without an increase in defects, or because the organization can’t find the number of skilled workers needed to support the increased output. The latter is especially relevant to you.
In all the above cases, growth for its own sake results in the opposite. Now, I’m not opposed to growth, but it must occur in the right way. It must be deliberate, thoughtful and organic. The focus of the organization should not be diffused to achieve it, and skilled staffing must meet the increased demand. But I think the most important concept here is that growth is the result of doing other things well. We embrace the following progression.
- First, start with vision: What kind of organization are you? What do you want to be? What do you want to be known for?
- Then move to formulating the specific products and services you’ll bring to market.
- Then get really, really great and efficient at producing those things in the largest quantity possible (not over-defining ‘possible’ is extremely important) with continual improvement and refining.
- Always keep an eye on the market and make sure to notice when someone is creeping up on you or doing it better. Be innovative in your chosen area and stay focused.
- Finally, grow your organization to match the growth in sales achieved as a result of the aforementioned recipe.
Perhaps the most pleasant thing about slow and steady growth is it allows for the development of a real organizational culture. Much like a great Sunday gravy (sauce, or whatever you call it) culture isn’t created overnight. And culture clash has scuttled many an acquisition. Ed Martinez said it’s the leader’s job to push back when an organization has absorbed all the change it can handle. I might suggested adding growth to that list.
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