When a business grows quickly and transitions from small or single location to a much larger multi-location operation, its leaders must adjust their approach significantly to navigate the increasing complexity of situations and decision-making.  The effects of actions taken, and equally those not, now have far wider ripple effects. Quite simply:

What got you here won’t take you there!

It pays to step back and think deeply about priorities for action in three dimensions: certain things business leaders must do, should stop doing, or do differently in pursuit of their vision. Let’s consider each type in progressive order.

Here are the top three things business leaders must do:

1. Strategic Planning and Delegation.  Leaders in growth mode must transition from a hands-on operational role to more of a strategic planning role. They will need to invest more time on defining the vision, setting the strategic direction, and planning for sustainable growth, rather than getting immersed in day-to-day operations. By delegating tasks and empowering their employees, managers, and team leaders to tackle greater responsibilities, they can free up critical space for this essential planning.. The transition from operational tasks to strategic thinking must be one of the very first things to start and continually adapt according to business needs and market demands. 

2. Invest in Talent and Develop a Strong Culture.  As the business grows, leaders must prioritize attracting, retaining, and developing talent. They need to build a strong team that can adapt to the changing demands of the business. Additionally, they must cultivate a strong, adaptable company culture that encourages innovation, measured risk-taking, and continuous learning. A vibrant culture that reflects the company’s vision and guiding principles, expressed through a Shared Purpose, will help unify employees across different departments and geographies. Early investment in hiring the right people, nurturing their development, and maintaining a strong, positive company culture will pay huge dividends as the company grows.

If leaders think they can wait until the business can afford it before investing in their talent, another company will take them and do so instead.

Talent development also ties directly into the delegation point, as capable and trusted employees are necessary for effective delegation and decentralized decision-making. 

3. Implement Robust Systems and Processes.  Leaders must establish effective systems and processes to handle the increased scale of sales, operations, customer service, finance, human resources, etc. This includes investing in technology to streamline operations and provide the necessary business intelligence through a common language for informed decision-making, all in real time. Starting this early will avoid a lot of headaches down the road. It’s about more than just investing in technology — it’s about creating a scalable infrastructure that will grow with the business and support its increasing complexity.

Next, let’s consider the top three things leaders should stop doing:

1. Micromanaging.  Leaders should resist the urge to control every aspect of the business. As the business grows, it becomes impossible and counterproductive to manage every detail. They need to trust their teams to manage their respective areas. The ability to do this depends primarily on investing in talent as described in the above paragraph. ‘Letting go’ to empower others is the single biggest struggle for many entrepreneurs. 

2. Reacting Instead of Planning. Leaders should move away from a reactive mode of operation. Instead of making hasty decisions in response to immediate issues, leaders should focus on strategic planning and longer-term goals, which reduces the amount of crisis management the organization will otherwise face.  Root cause analysis goes a long way toward extinguishing the fires that can consume a leader.

3. Neglecting Long-term Investments for Short-term Gains. Leaders should not sacrifice long-term stability for short-term profits. This includes neglecting to invest in employee development, scalable technology,  research and development, or essential infrastructure, which are crucial to sustaining long-term growth.

With a clear focus on what they must do and should stop doing, there are other things leaders can now do differently, including:

1. Communicating and Collaborating.  As the organization grows and leaders cannot see or directly speak with everyone on their teams daily, it becomes increasingly  important to have clear and consistent communication practices. Leaders must be transparent about the company’s goals, strategies, and performance. Additionally, they should encourage cross-departmental collaboration to break down silos and promote a more integrated approach to problem-solving. This quality is actually a cultural trait and the sooner this is started, the easier it is to sustain as the company grows. A predictable rhythm and cadence of communication matters to team members and keeps them connected to the organization’s shared purpose. 

2. Risk Management. The potential risks leaders face also grow along with the business. Leaders must become more focused on identifying, assessing, and proactively managing risks. This involves developing a structured approach to risk management and making it a part of the company’s cultural and operational framework.

3. Adapting and Learning. The ability to adapt and learn becomes crucial as the business environment changes. Leaders must continually review and adapt their strategies and approaches, learn from successes and failures, and seek continuous improvement. This includes staying open to new ideas, innovations, and changes in the market.

Static plans breed complacency and are the roadmap to extinction. 

When leading at the speed of growth in today’s dynamic world, the priority of all these activities will differ based on the company’s specific circumstances, industry, and current stage and rate of growth. It is mission-critical for leaders to thoroughly analyze and understand their unique situation, determine the most urgent areas to address and fully expect to adapt their approach to accelerating change.

Tempus Maximize!

Please visit www.leadershipworthy.com to explore these and other leadership concepts more deeply.