3 Questions to Ask Yourself if You’re Not Growing Fast Enough

I recently came across a quote that said “You don’t grow when you’re comfortable.” 

 This message struck a nerve with me because so many businesses face stagnancy and plateauing due to leadership’s inability to get uncomfortable. They deflect difficult questions, avoid hard conversations, and as a result, thwart their own progress. 

 What surprises me about these situations is that the company and its people are typically already in uncomfortable places — sales are slow, morale is low, messaging is off — the business is suffering and everyone can feel it. However, because this discomfort is familiar and known, it’s allowed to fester, when what’s really needed is action. What leaders fail to see is that a short period of more intense discomfort—be it letting someone go, rethinking a strategy or recognizing that a cultural shift is needed—is the only way to alleviate the problems. 

 Asking the hard questions is essentially ripping off the business band aid. While it’s my job as a consultant to come to companies with these questions, I am by no means the only person qualified to start asking. In fact, the more leaders who begin asking these questions of themselves, the more efficiently and productively their companies can scale and grow. 

 So let’s dive in!

 I like to start with the most uncomfortable question of all: Is the problem me?

It’s normal to be afraid of confronting this very personal possibility. However, the truth is, companies grow when they have a leader with the right mindset, skills and vision. You, as the leader, are best equipped to answer whether or not you’re meeting the mark. And if you’re not, you’re also the best person to identify why and address the issue. If it’s a matter of skillset, do you need a partner, or have you taken the company as far as you can and it’s time to turn over the reigns? If it’s a matter of mindset, do you need a break, a refresh, a team that’s more aligned? These are all possibilities to explore when considering this question, but the most important thing to remember is that you need to be honest with yourself. Ultimately, you’re accountable for how to respond to this question, and nothing in your company will change if you don’t honor that. 

 After honestly assessing your role in your business’s growth, you can move on to the next question, which is, do I have the right people in the right roles? This is really a two-part question that requires you look at whether the people on your team are the right fit for your organization and whether they’re the right fit for their roles. Perhaps your CFO is an awesome team player, but is limited by his lack of experience and can’t grow the company past last quarter. Or, maybe your CMO is an expert in her role, but causes roadblock after roadblock through her inability to align to your company vision. You might need to reconsider their places in your company. 

 These are not easy questions to ask. They require you to be critical of people that you like and respect. They also require making personnel changes, which are major time and resource investments. When you consider this, it’s important, again, to remember that while moving people around or looking to acquire new talent might be uncomfortable, for a variety of reasons, this period of adjustment can pave the way to a more productive and positive work environment that benefits your entire organization.

 Once you understand the way that the people of your business play a role in its success, or lack thereof, it’s time to ask yourself one more question: do we have the capital? I get it, money is a difficult subject to talk about objectively, but at the end of the day it’s a key indicator of a business’s success and mission critical to making growth happen. It’s important, as the leader, to get super clear on what kind of capital your organization needs. You might be able to address this on your own, but I always tell clients to maintain strong relationships with bankers, and this starts with really, truly understanding your capital flow. If you can explain why you need the money and how you’ll ensure that it is used responsibly, you’re one step ahead of any problem that you might face. 

 It’s not easy to push yourself to ask the questions that are required to help your company grow. It involves reflecting on your own strengths and weaknesses and making detached assessments of where they can make improvements. However, in my experience, when leaders are able to get uncomfortable, they are able to change their business and their corner of the world. That’s a legacy worth working towards.