How do we talk about “scaling” — when it comes to people?
Scaling sounds GREAT when you’re talking about software. One line of code can support one transaction, and that same line of code can support thousands and millions!
If we don’t consider the “WHAT IFs” early enough in our strategy, we can run smack into growth nightmares. Planning for scale impacts our purpose, portfolio, products, and people.
But when it comes to scaling people, it can get complicated. And awkward.
When you push people to “just do more!”, it can fall on skeptical ears.
Today, resignation rates are surprisingly high despite an atmosphere of economic uncertainty and layoffs. Engagement rates are low. Employee loyalty and organizational trust are tentative. The very people we are relying on most in our plans for scale could get up and leave tomorrow.
We need to think about scaling like an “ S curve”. A time for every season.
A tree starts the “S” curve as a seedling, fragile and uncertain, actively putting down roots. As it rounds the bend of the S curve, the plant matures, but it is still in danger of decline. It still needs to be fed and pruned and protected or it can die.
A mature experienced employee runs the risk of decline as well.
The hard truth is the experienced employees you’re counting on to help you scale your strategy may not scale with you.
They may not have developed the right skills. They may become skeptical, bored, or feel taken advantage of. They may leave or “quietly quit”.
UNLESS — they JUMP to a new S curve!
There’s a strategic inflection point when you have the opportunity to INNOVATE instead of decline, by jumping to a new S curve. It applies to organizations and it applies to people.
You know organizations that have done it:
• Starbucks started as a coffee distributor and jumped into running coffee shops
• Netflix jumped from running a DVD-by-mail service to streaming video to a producing movie content
• Amazon jumped from being an online bookseller to providing music to providing cloud infrastructure.
What’s the common theme? Leaders can help people leverage core competencies and proactively innovate and learn by jumping into ANOTHER “S curve” instead of declining — or quitting.
Here are two ways you can start today to help people scale WITH you:
- Hire and develop people to become DECISION-MAKERS that can scale with you, instead of hiring employees simply to accomplish tasks.
Instead of just telling employees “We just need to do more!”, you can engage with them as valued decision-makers who will shape solutions to help you scale:
- Establish common values for making decisions.
- Teach them about your business model, the drivers of revenues and costs, and how to think about the tradeoffs.
- Talk openly about risk: risk of loss and the risk of missing windows of opportunity.
2. Build TRUSTED PARTNERS to scale with you instead of simply hiring suppliers to get today’s work done.
In my work with clients driving high-stakes strategies, I see government and corporate buyers who aren’t aligned with suppliers and partners. The result is confusion, missed commitments, and even lawsuits.
Trusted partners prepare to “jump the S curve” together. They take the time to ensure common values. They discuss upfront how to handle risks in terms of contract terms, overruns, employee skill gaps, and capacity constraints as volumes grow.
Yes, each of us needs to start planning for scale today — no matter what stage of executing our strategy we are in. And we need people to join us.
Are you going to start building and engaging a team of DECISION MAKERS and TRUSTED PARTNERS to scale with you?
Or are you going to be that frenzied boss trying to scale by telling employees and suppliers and partners to “just do more”?
Welcome your thoughts.
This article is part of my newsletter, which equips and energizes leaders with practical ways to move forward, whether leading a new strategy or getting one back on track. Subscribe if you’d like insights like this one or twice a month.
Explore my website, www.gotomarketimpact.com, to learn more about my upcoming book, “FastTrack Your Big Idea!” as well as my offerings to help you and your team clarify your strategy and get results faster. Or message me, and let’s connect! susan.Schramm@gotomarketimpact.com.
