Built to Grow
A Survival Manual for Growing Companies
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Business growth starts and ends with people. Success depends on the will and skill of people at every level of an organization. Sure, sometimes growth efforts start at the top, but it’s impossible to sustain growth without the zeal, efforts, and imagination of people throughout the organization. Read More
For a business to reach the highest levels of growth, profitability, and success, there must be a shift from dependence to independence. When a company is young, the founder is in total control, but as it grows and matures the self-interests of the founder can no longer trump the needs of the business. The organization needs sovereignty. The challenge is to forge the organization into a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Read More
The shift from growth to decline is almost imperceptible at first, particularly by those inside an organization. After all, the organization still looks and feels successful. But the signs are there if you know what to look for. Slowly, the business has lost the creativity, risk taking, initiative, and flexibility that made it successful in the first place. Read More
By far the toughest skill for a CEO to learn is the ability to manage his own psychology. The technical aspects of running a business – creating systems and processes, designing structure, developing people, and so on – are relatively straightforward skills to understand and master. But growth is also psychological – you must mentally and emotionally prepare yourself to change as the business changes. Read More
A company may appear to be the picture of success, a company that all others would aspire to be. But your greatest fear shouldn’t be that you will have to compete with this company. Your greatest fear should be that you become this company. This company isn’t a model. It’s a disaster waiting to happen. It’s dying, and it doesn’t even know it. Read More
If you are going to be a leader, you are going to have to deal with conflict. It’s part of your job. If you can’t or won’t handle conflict in a straightforward and effective manner, then you shouldn’t be a leader. Dealing with conflict is one of the most critical abilities that determines the effectiveness of a leader, yet it is often one of the least developed skills. Read More
Unexpected losses of key people are one of the most costly and troublesome issues a business can face. With all the talk some leaders give about the importance of attracting and retaining top talent, you wouldn’t think there would be a revolving door in some companies. But so often there is. Read More
In organizations, large and small, leadership is needed at every level and every area. It’s a false assumption to believe that you have to be in the C-Suite in order to be an effective leader. So how do you lead when you’re not the top dog? You learn to develop your influence wherever you currently are in an organization. Read More
Business growth is simply not possible without change. But the business press and management gurus promise us that if we follow this or that formula for success, then all of our problems will disappear. These are false promises. Change is part of business and life, and as long as we are alive, we will have obstacles to overcome. Ignoring this most basic law of business growth is like ignoring gravity. Read More
50% of all businesses are gone within the first 2 years. After 5 years, it’s 80%. In 10 years, it’s 96%. 500,000 businesses are started every year. At the end of 10 years, there are only 20,000 of them left. The bottom line: Only 4 out of 100 businesses survive 10 or more years. Read More
