Your 2ndChance at a First Impression: Grow Right or Die

Grow Right or Die

My great nephew, Jeremiah, is only 2 years old, (pictured left as a baby) but is the size of a very solid 5 year old. But he still has the communication skills and comprehension of a 2 year old. He has the same inclinations of a 2 yr old to throw things and that strong temperament often aligned with the "Terrible Twos." So, he has all of this strength and height and therefore can get in to SO MUCH trouble but people see him and assume that he's mentally challenged because he doesn't really talk but not realizing that he's younger than he looks. Fortunately, as he ages his mental abilities will catch up with his body but can your business say the same.

Our business babies that we nurture and grow can also have growth spurts. The concern isn't the growth but how prepared are we to handle and manage it. Did we know a growth spurt was coming? Can we keep our quality to match our increased production? Have we priced our products and services accordingly or are we undercutting ourselves? Do our employees understand our culture? Do we need more employees? Is it time to switch from jack of all trades to delegating and specializing?

For children it's pretty easy to see if they're on track. Grab your ruler makes some tick marks on the wall and talk with your pediatrician to make sure they are growing as they should. For your business the formula gets a little more tricky. So, yes the business down the hallway started at the same time as your business but does that mean you should expect the same rate of growth or success.

While industry data does assist you in understanding how you stack up your real measurement of success is a bit different. Frankly what's most important is not that you are growing at the same rate as another business but are you able to grow healthily. As a consultant I've worked with companies that have been around for more than a decade but because they've never planned but only reacted they are only a crisis away from having to shut their doors.

The simple truth is that many businesses have never written a business plan, established what kind of culture they want for their office, developed policy and procedure manuals or developed a training procedure. So, there is no need to be amazed that the business that has been in your neighborhood forever has all of a sudden shut it's doors because you either Grow Right of Die.