Small-business growth: Transformation is required
by Stewart Borie | posted on April 18th, 2008 | Leadership, Strategy
Growth is the lifeblood of entrepreneurship and business success. It is also the lifeblood of our economy. It is why we at OneCoach are dedicated to teaching and empowering growth. But growth requires work, change and transformation. Perhaps most importantly, growth requires personal transformation in the leadership of the organization.
Most small-business owners have enough knowledge, experience and resources to get themselves into business. However, few have the depth and breadth of knowledge, experience and skills to remain capable as a leader as the business grows– unless they grow too. Growth brings increasing demands, of:
- complexity
- management
- human systems
- financial management
- competitive response
- planning
- training
- development
- technology and information management
- and leadership itself.
Hence, the leader must transform to adapt to all of these changes. The leadership skills, experience and methods that were appropriate for a three-person startup operating out of a garage will not serve a 100-person firm or a multicultural international enterprise. Business growth constantly puts a leader in new positions that require learning, new perspectives, new skills and new stamina. If the leader relies upon what has served in the past, it may not serve in the future. Unfortunately this realization may come too late, unless the leader is ready and prepared for change, expecting, waiting and preparing for it rather than being forced into it or surprised by it.
Some leaders embrace change, while others fear it. Some get easily “stuck” in old patterns, beliefs and limiting cultures, while others embrace new knowledge, new ways of thinking and new communities. I advise all my clients that mastering transformation is a required attribute of successful leaders and an essential resource for sustaining business growth.
Mastering transformation, the ability to change with the changes in one’s organization, can be both “taught” and “caught.” It can be learned, practiced and mastered, much like a martial art. The key to success in this is becoming a good student, becoming dedicated to the process, and learning to enjoy the process as part of personal and professional life. Here are some useful steps to mastering transformation:
- Find a mentor or group of mentors. Every martial artist has a sensei, a master who has done it before and can teach the steps, the methods and help show the way and guide the practice.
- Find transformation “buddies”: Find peers who are growing companies who you can share your experiences and issues with. Transformation has consequences, including fear, uncertainty, questions, and
- Educate yourself. New knowledge is transformation in itself
- Practice: No great martial artist became a black belt without lots of practice. And they did not practice alone. Transformation is like your body, it needs practice to learn, build stamina, to build repetitive reinforcement and to “spar” and learn from transformation in the real arena of your business. Drive to work on a different route, listen to different music, dress differently. Practice change, every day. Become accustomed to it.
- Get feedback: Trying to be a self-evaluator of one’s own transformation is like watching your hair grow. Let others give you feedback and advice.
The most important thing to remember is that growth requires change, which means that transformation is not elective, it is required.
So, instead of waiting, get going. Like beginning a martial art, expect it to be awkward, sometimes painful and even embarrassing. However, like martial arts, which are some of the finest forms of physical and mental conditioning on the planet, once you’re in the groove, the workout, the practice, the sparring and the community become fun, something to look forward to and a part of being superbly fit and capable to take on adversity and change.
Get yourself into a routine, with a mentor, practicing changing regularly. If you dedicate yourself to becoming a great leader, you will develop a mastery practice of transformation.
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April 19th, 2008 at 11:13 am
I can not tell you how much finding you has given me hope..I was just spinning and feeling overwhelmed. Now I have a goal and a belief of attaining it..I have learned so much and am so happy to have the 101 Challenge to work on everyday. I had purchace the “Foundation” but easily slipped into my old non-active ways and just hid out in the studio trying to ignore all the business side of it because it just was out of reach of understanding for me. With the weekly assignments and accountability with 101 it has made a difference. I feel apart of a community that has my success as their goal too. It gets me going everyday..I didn’t have anyone to help me that I felt understood my particular situation and now I have you…Thank you, Catherine
April 19th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
I agree that change is an important part of living in today’s world, I do not agree that the only way to have a successful business is growing. The lifeblood of a business is whatever you want it to be…
You need to question this ideas that push you to grow, when you are not ready or just don’t want to… There is a choice… Keeping it small is an alternative!
April 21st, 2008 at 7:58 am
Hallo!I find your advice very interesting!I am a female dentist and I really want to be a succesfull dentist,mummy,wife and bussineswoman.Can you be my mentor?
April 21st, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Hi Stavroula — OneCoach can help any business, anywhere. We provide interactive coaching, best practices and networking to show you how to grow your business faster. If you are seeking community, want assistance with the choices you are facing in growing your business, or mentoring, we provide solutions to your specific needs. See http://www.onecoach.com for more info.
April 26th, 2008 at 2:29 am
Maria – you have a good point. However, I don’t think growing necessarily means bigger, but growing towards your hopes and dreams for your business. Whether that means making enough money to create opportunities for your children, to donate to charity, to make a product that makes your clients happy, or to develop a great network – that’s all considered growing. I totally agree that success means different things to different people – and that includes being able to keep things small.
March 5th, 2009 at 6:08 am
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March 7th, 2009 at 12:04 am
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March 18th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Thank you for your help!
April 16th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Gr8 blog! Ill definitely be coming back
June 28th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
Great read, nice post
September 27th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Cool thoughts, but it is hard for me to understand, lol. Will go over it again.
October 19th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
I fully understand I can not do this alone. I hope to find a good mentor that has the energy to handle all of my rackets and will not give up on me. I have the ability to give it my all and amaze myself even further.
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i have been reading your blog for a bit now, just wanted to say thanks for this. and i have am subscribed to your RSS feed. look forward to reading more from you
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February 15th, 2010 at 11:34 am
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February 19th, 2010 at 12:26 am
Thank you for doing this blog and for committing yourself to teaching and empowering growth. I am very much with you there. I am learning much from your blogs
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March 3rd, 2010 at 8:33 pm
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