There is no such thing as “the right way” to grow. Sometimes it can be the result of careful planning and other times just pure dumb luck. However, luck is rarely sustainable and there are certainly things that can be done to increase the odds in your favor.

There are three key things to make order out of chaos and enhance your ability to successfully grow.

Focus

One of the biggest enemies to growth is trying to do too many things. While there is nothing wrong with being aggressive about the endgame, a few high impact activities done extremely well are usually much more powerful than a dozen things that are under-resourced and, therefore, executed modestly.

Many times, in an effort to accelerate change, organizations pile on projects in a variety of areas without linking them together. This can be harmful, as they sometimes work against each other.

Additionally, too many projects, no matter how good, create a time drain that takes it’s toll and creates burn-out, slowing momentum and making growth elusive. Only one of every four investments in strategic initiatives generates value. The 80/20 rule applies: find what really matters to the market and it will generate 80 percent of the payout.

Clarity

Being clear about what is to be accomplished is critical to success. Having a clear and shared vision of the future allows a team to work synergistically, do more with less and move forward faster. Think of how effective President John Kennedy’s 15-word vision for the Apollo space program was:  put a man on the moon and return him safely to earth in this decade. The targeted outcome is clear, those who must act know the objective and progress is measurable. Being so clear that there can be no misunderstanding is essential. Knowing where you want to go makes it much more likely that you will get there.

Accountability

This one is obvious, right? So why is it so hard? So much of our work is done in teams, which is an awesome approach as long as someone is accountable for results. Often with teamwork, accountability is shared and therefore diffused. As a result, the only person who can be held solely accountable is the person at the top, not at the point of impact or implementation. Accountability comes by having clearly defined roles, timelines and measures. Further, acccountability is for results not activities.

Be Flexible

Choices are rarely black and white. There is no one “right answer.” Different solutions may work depending on the situation. “Never” and “always” are words to be avoided when selecting strategic options.

Remember that regardless of which solution you select (assuming you did your homework), the impact will be enhanced by providing focus for the organization’s efforts, clarity at the point of impact and accountability for results.

Margaret Reynolds, master growth catalyst, Breakthrough Masters Unlimited, a division of Reynolds Consulting, LLC. Margaret inspires organizations of all sizes to “unlock the box” to achieve growth by re-thinking commonly accepted practices and developing strategy that changes the market. (816) 350-7680 // This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it