Who do you turn to when you’re growing quickly? Copyright: singkham / 123RF Stock Photo
There comes a time in every organisation’s life when it faces some pretty tough decisions. We don’t mean when you might have to make cuts or restructure things because money’s tight. Of course, they’re tough, but what we’re talking about is the tough decisions you face early on in an organisation’s lifecycle.
A good example of what we mean is when your organisation becomes too successful too quickly. Perhaps you know the situation we mean – you’ve set the organisation up from scratch and have worked hard to get everything ready and the clients start to come in thick and fast. Too thick and too fast in some cases.
That’s when the tough choices start. Do you try and slow things down, potentially losing customers along the way? Do you keep doing what you’re doing in the hope that things will calm down a bit, or think about moving on to the next phase for your organisation, even if you don’t think you’re ready?
Which of these tough choices you make is up to you. In the short-term, the first two might be the answer, but eventually there’ll come a point when you have to move on. Taking this step is a bit like taking a relationship up a notch – you put it off for ages because you’re happy with the way things are, you’re not sure what will happen, and it can be a bit scary!
Most of the time though, it works out okay and it’s roses and chocolates happily ever after. The same is true with your organisation as long as you make the right decisions for you.
One tough choice we missed from the list above is the question of whether you need more support around you. You know you’re great at what you do (that’s why you’re doing so well in the first place) but there’s bound to be gaps in your knowledge.
If there are, don’t be afraid of filling those gaps. A lot of business owners try and do everything themselves even if that includes things they haven’t done before, especially in the early days. It can be easier and more cost-effective in the long-term to seek out help to get the gaps sealed up. So, if you need to bring in help or ask someone to lend a hand, then don’t be afraid to do it.
You might have the right people for the job already working with you. Ask around if anyone’s got the skills you’re looking for and if that person’s willing to help. If this isn’t the case, think about looking outside your organisation.
This could be someone you trust, a friend or family member (this can sometimes bring a new set of challenges), or a business professional (or professionals) with the expertise you’re after. We know from experience this can be one of the toughest decisions you’ll face as the owner of an organisation that’s growing rapidly.
It’s natural to want to protect what you’ve sweated blood, sweat and tears to create, so you don’t want to ask for help. But having the right people around you can make dealing with the tough stuff that bit easier, and you’ll keep growing quickly together.
