Sure expansion is easy–hire more people, create more space, and build on what we have today–simply put, we do more of what we are doing today only bigger… or do we?

Shear Services’ product demand grew exponentially over two years and so did the company’s staff. In year 3 they nearly had to close their doors not due to product demand receding. It was just the opposite, they simply couldn’t keep up with the business growth and customers were turning else where. On top of which, they -the people in organization–were simply burning out. Business as usual was killing them. Stress and tension was high, the usual light atmosphere was replaced with harried conversations and “barking”, customers were left hanging- orders not being filled and service was chaotic -and the open communication between departments was gone. Who had time to communicate anymore?

What could have gone wrong? All was fine during the first two years of adding staff and services, then suddenly in what seemed like all at once everything fell apart. Every system can handle growth to a point then needs to re-organize in order to stay healthy. If you have ever taken up a new exercise program, you might have noticed that just as you become comfortable with the growth, the high of continuous muscular development, you may become ill, disengaged, tired, need a break or find it too much to continue. This is the critical juncture point where either you quit or commit to continuing. Quitting is easy, but continuing is not just the bullheaded staying the course. It often means allowing your body to rest, adjusting your diet and then making changes in your exercise regimen to accommodate your new developmental needs… possibly changing the type of exercise, the amount, etc. What is a constant is that some point we reach a point that continuing to do the same thing does not meet our needs, may actually be physically detrimental to our bodies and we need to evaluate and assess where we are, take the time to incorporate changes in our physical system. Too much of the same–exercising the same muscles–can actually cause those muscles great damage.

Managing growth is no different. There comes a point the procedure and processes can no longer handle the growth and still support the system. They become unwieldy and burdensome and have a negative impact where they once were the lifeblood of the organization.

Staying in touch with where you in the course of change can mean the difference between short term growth, followed by sudden death and sustainable, healthy growth. Is your organization growing or changing? How has the rhythm of the organization changed? …the atmosphere? Where are their new needs? …old systems that are overburdened? What warning signs do you see that might indicate it is time to take a break? re-evaluate where you are and celebrate where you have come from before taking the next steps? Is the energy grounded, alive and creative or frenzied, stressful, harried? Is it time to take radical steps to support radical changes in the organization?

Is there some changes in your own organization that you have committed to that may need re-assessing?