Don’t lose sight of your identity and purpose during growth times.
Are you primed and prepared to turn it up? Do you have the systems, talent and culture in place to grow successfully? Growth is exciting. It’s challenging, too. You’re driving full speed ahead, and hiring new team members to keep up with the pace. But when you’re growing forward, you’ve got to put on the brakes every once in a while and make sure you are staying true to who you are, what you do and who you serve. Remember what matters most: people.
Follow Your True North
During growth periods, businesses can lose sight of the big picture as they focus on operations and daily tasks. Whether you’re making and selling a product or delivering a service, there is the “do” part of the business that ramps up during growth. You’ve got to keep up. But, it’s also incredibly important to make sure that growth doesn’t drive you into directions that stray from your purpose. Don’t get caught up in the chase. Be sure your decisions align with your values, protect your culture and speak to your mission.
Remember the Road Map
First thing’s first. During times of growth and change, it can be easy to lose sight of the destination—the end goal. Clearly map out and articulate where you’re going and why. Communicate this early and often to your people. Break down big goals into small, achievable milestones that you can celebrate with your people. There’s no way to predict the potholes and unexpected detours that inevitably crop up on a growth journey. But at least having a road map in place will give your team the direction and confidence to solve issues. And, when your people have focus and understand where the business is going, they can provide a better experience for customers.
Put Clients First
Why are you in business? No matter what you make, deliver or serve, you’re doing it for customers. At the end of the day, client experience is the top priority and should drive every decision you make, from who you hire to how you onboard and develop the team, and the way you grow. Keep clients in the forefront and ask for feedback. Listen. Train your people to be dialed in to cues from customers so you can reward them for what’s going right and address what’s going wrong.
Reassure Your People
Give them the space to vent and breathe. Change is difficult, and growth triggers a range of emotions. Your people are under pressure, they’re working hard. Let them know you see this. You feel it. Take the time to reward, appreciate and celebrate your team. They’re the ones responsible for making sure customers are having the best possible experience. When your people feel supported, they’ll support customers.
Remember You
Don’t lose sight of your culture and who you are as a business. Remember where you started and how you got where you are today. People are everything, and when you’re taking care of your team, their contagious positive energy will create the type of experience customers crave. If you would like to learn more about protecting client experience during growth, call Laura at 410-213-5567.
