I’m writing a series called A Summary of How the Hidden Agents in the Stages of Growth Model Interact. You can also find this video series on the GCS Membership Site under the 7 SOG Videos tab, and they are called How it All Fits Together.
http://www.gcspecialists.com/member-dashboard
You may want to have a copy of the Stages of Growth Matrix in front of you as you listen to this series of videos. The intent is to show the interrelationships between different hidden agents and the stage of growth.
The real value in the 7 Stages of Growth is how all of the components work together to present a comprehensive picture of what business owner needs to know regarding their current stage of growth.
Stage 5: Integration
58 – 95 employees
Now is the time to bring those capable and experienced managers that were created in Stage 4 together, working and focusing on driving company goals. This stage of Integration is crucial and requires the CEO to maintain a Facilitative presence and work to bring all the team together as one cohesive group.
If the work was done in Stage 4, each manager is confident in their team’s ability to deliver their specific area of expertise. By building these strong teams in Stage 4, accountability issues were addressed and working together with other teams can be a smoother, more professional transition. Stage 5 is all about capitalizing upon the strength of each division of the company and how they play a crucial role in the delivery of a company’s products and services.
By this stage of growth, the CEO has built a strong leadership team and relies on their decision-making capabilities to help manage the company’s challenges. The company is now sophisticated enough to see how Customer Service is tied into Product Development and Sales and Marketing. There is more cross-training on the impact that one division has on another. Staff training shows up as a critical challenge in Stage 5.
There’s a change in the Three Faces for the leader in Stage 5. Because managers are now in place to take over the day to day operations of the company and employee management for the company, the CEO now needs to shift his/her focus more to Visionary. The CEO takes on a strong role in the company as the Chief Executive, he/she must act as the steward of the organization.
One area that the CEO should focus on in Stage 5 is the creation of divisional budgets that each manager has control over. This is another opportunity for the CEO to release control and empower the managers to be responsible for a bottom line. The Profit/Revenue Gate is back as the top priority, emphasizing the need to keep sales up as the engine to drive a company this size continues to require more and more resources.
The Builder/Protector Ratio is 2:1, an indication that growth is manageable, it’s more controlled, and there are processes and people in place to keep it in check.
Check out my Flash Sheets by FlashPoint! where I explain all aspects of the 7 Stages of Growth by STAGE OF GROWTH, addressing how why the hidden agents show up as they do. This resource along with this series on How It Fits Together will provide you in-depth knowledge of this powerful model.
http://gcspecialists.com/flashsheets
Your success. My passion.
Laurie Taylor, FlashPoint!
