Every company wants to grow. It can become a burden when growth comes quicker than expected. As a leader, you were used to managing a small team. Now you are facing double that.
How do you manage the growing pains of a growing business?
When we were growing up, some of us experienced growth spurts. If you were unfortunate to have this, you remember the immense pain in your limbs. The sudden need to go out and buy clothes that fit you because the ones you have were suddenly too small. Not to mention suddenly realizing how much you tower over your classmates. It was painful on so many levels. This can also happen in our businesses if we are not ready for sudden growth.
Business Growth Spurts can lead to difficulty communicating, frustration, lower morale than normal, confusion in direction, worst of all, tension. But there are ways to work through this so that the overall picture is never removed from site.
Get organized.
We’ve all been told that if you want to experience success, you need to start where you are. Every new business starts off with some type of mess. You’re trying to get your ducks in a row. You’re using trial and error methods to see what works and what doesn’t. With experimentation, there is bound to be a little bit of chaos that requires straightening up. One good way to get a better grip of your growing business is to revisit the SWOT analysis that you used when creating a plan originally. From your new analysis, you can develop a plan that better fits your current needs.
Talk More.
This is not discussing the weather. Just like your business, your employees are going through the pain of a growing business. As their leader, it is your job to make sure they are in the right headspace to continue nurturing growth. Offer them a space and opportunity to be honest about how they feel regarding expectations of them. Make them feel valued by showing appreciation. After all, you didn’t get here yourself. You had a team of individuals that worked hard to get your company to where it is today. This is their victory as much as it is yours.
Share responsibility.
As your business grows, so do you expectations of your role. What you were able to work with or on at the start of your business doesn’t may have to be delegated to someone else to leave you free to do other important tasks that leads to even more growth. Additionally, you never know what a fresh set of eyes can offer you.
With any growth spurt, it is no secret that pain will follow. But just remember that the pain is only temporary. There are ways to encourage your team in understanding that growth spurts are temporary and a sign you are moving towards bigger and better things!