Is your business experiencing surprising growth right now? Has your business had a surprising growth time in the past? I hope you can answer yes to one of these questions and what a blessing if your answer to both is yes!
I am talking about the type of growth that was totally unexpected - where you did NOT have the 1-3 months of planning before a set launch date, etc. More like a week or two of on-the-fly planning while moving about rapidly to ensure excellent execution.
The natural route is to of course be sure and allocate the best resources to the project. You pick the most capable leaders, associates, equipment, systems, etc. If you have been through it before, you likely have a team you know can deliver during these chaotic blessings of growth...if never having gone through this, you probably pick the ones you feel can handle the task based on current performances, interest, zest, etc. This is all good because the team has to be up to handle the dream.
An unfortunate other natural action of this surprising growth is when the leadership team tends to lose their touch on the front line associates who are locked in for the long haul and long hours amidst chaos. This tends to be the natural issue because the leadership is so focused on every little unpredictable piece of what must go right and cannot go wrong while operating in unfamiliar territory. They are applaudingly focused on catering to the new customers needs (if only it stays that important is key!) However - go back a few sentences where you forget about the people on your team. Your front line is the group that needs the same level of attention - if not more. Ultimately they are the ones who are going to be handling the daily business when the growth explosion simmers down. They must be enthusiastically enlisted, appreciated and included every step of the way, every day.
Here is your imagery:
You are a radically gifted skateboarder and you are speeding towards launching off the ramp for a boost of insane air. Imagine your people as your 4 wheels. They are allowing you to have the speed that get you to that ramp, they take you up the ramp and explode off the top with you. Imagine something goes wrong at lift off and the wheels come off while your about 15 feet high --- OUCH! You will likely have kids all over the world watching you eat it on YouTube.
If during your explosive growth, your process focus exceeds your people focus. The wheels are likely to come off in mid-air and the landing will not be one of excellence. You have to catch air and land together. During chaotic growth, the stress level is higher for everyone and the management and leadership of the entire team must rise accordingly.
Suggestion: Next time you are faced with the opportunity to grow rapidly in just a moments notice, have someone on your key leadership team with a high level of emotional intelligence whose main role is to rally the troops, empower them, equip them and motivate them every day until the pixie dust settles. Your customer will praise you, your team will have the most fun and more people will be excited to enlist the next time your company is called on to save the day.
Watch what happens when the wheels stay on to remember this principle: Email subscribers go to my blog page and click on the video.
Comments