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 7: Visionary
161 – 500 employees
The real challenge in Stage 7 is to manage the enormous shift in complexity of the organization. The company has started to add many layers of bureaucracy and this can quickly impede performance and growth.
The Gate of Focus is back to People and the CEO’s Modality stays Dominant. This is due to the challenge the leader has to virtually shake up the organization in order to erase and keep at bay the complacency that can raise its head with up to 500 employees.
When a company gets to this size, there’s an overwhelming desire to move to equilibrium and safety. It starts to act like a large company, the decision-making is slower, product innovation is slower and the bureaucracy can be formidable.
The job of the CEO in Stage 7 is to sustain and propagate the Vision and create a degree of disequilibrium and chaos within the company to keep the company competitive in all areas. The CEO must ignite fires of entrepreneurism throughout the company, giving people a sense of what can happen, a new sense of purpose and a desire to step outside their box and find new and better ways to deliver products and services.
Supporting this role for the CEO, the Three Faces of a Leader has Visionary taking center stage, at 75% and the Manager Face falling back to just 20%. The CEO has a capable team running the organization and it’s their job to keep his/her eye on the future and help everyone in the company see the role they play in mapping that future.
The Builder/Protector Ratio is 2:1, slowing a bit in the growth arena in order to make sure the company is ahead of its growth curve and remains competitive. The leader must take a strong and objective view of where the company is today and present a view for the future that will keep the company viable.
While the CEO is making sure his/her presence is felt by being Dominant, the Managers must show their influence by being Facilitative, helping the CEO direct the company to new endeavors. The Staff’s Supportive influence is shown in their ability to manage the challenges of developing new products, expanding into new markets or creating new levels of customer satisfaction.
Just a reminder that my Flash Sheets by FlashPoint! explain all aspects of the 7 Stages of Growth by STAGE OF GROWTH, addressing why the hidden agents show up as they do. This resource along with this series on How It All Fits Together will provide you in-depth knowledge of this powerful model.
http://gcspecialists.com/flashsheets
Your success. My passion.
Laurie Taylor, FlashPoint!
