Publication number: ELQ-56164-1
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How to Overcome Inhibitors For Rapid Growth
Discover how obtaining the right people & culture overcomes rapid growth inhibitors limiting entrepreneurial success!
Introduction
A common complaint I hear from my startup clients and many entrepreneurs is that rapid growth is more difficult than ever anticipated. The assumption usually is that more money is needed for marketing, or another round of new development is needed on the product. Yet I find in digging deeper, the challenge is just as often getting the right people and culture, rather than money.
Recently I found a new book, “The Success Cadence,” by David Mattson, Tom Schodorf, and Bart Fanelli, which summarized well the people and culture challenges, and how to overcome them. Although their focus was primarily on the sales team, I believe that many of their key success inhibitors, including the following, apply equally well to all functional areas of your team:
- Step n°1 |
Some team members have an entitlement mindset.
The entitlement mindset is a failure of accountability. If this is left unchecked, the concept of we-first is destroyed, where too many are looking out for number one, and too few are looking out for your business. Rapid business growth requires that everyone pulls together.
The solution is more focus on rewarding accountability, and parting company gracefully with those who insist on being me-first. Set clear standards and expectations during team meetings, and set a personal example through your own leadership behavior
- Step n°2 |
Inconsistent messages from top leadership.
Sometimes top leaders send messages, by their actions and emotions, that are inconsistent with published goals and priorities. For example, a “quality first” message is negated if you minimize testing to reduce product costs. Ask for feedback from the team to confirm key messages are consistent. - Step n°3 |
Increasing evidence of organizational silos.
Teams that don’t interact effectively decrease productivity, impede communication, and make rapid growth impossible. Your solution is to make sure every group is pursuing the same objectives and strategy, implement consistent measurements, and make leadership changes as required.
