Photo: Getty Images
What if the key to sustainable business growth was as simple as giving everyone in your company a role, no matter their title or background?
Imagine a workplace with an all-hands-on-deck approach, with each team member, from the CEO to the newest hire, playing a vital part in driving growth and identifying and pursuing opportunities.
Moonshots may just become a reality
Too many service-based businesses have a handful of people responsible for identifying and bringing in new work. The rest of the employees–including key members of the leadership team–are focused on operations. They’re delivering for clients, recruiting and hiring, improving processes, monitoring financials, and, of course, dozens of other activities.
Everyone on your team does important work or they wouldn’t be there.
What is your employees’ role in driving growth?
Sometimes when I ask this question, I get pushback from core delivery and support functions. “Oh, I’m not in sales. That’s just not my thing. I take care of our …”
I get it. It isn’t everyone’s job to directly interact with customers, but there’s a lot more that goes into keeping existing and winning new work that isn’t direct sales.
Having everyone’s role tied to clear, compelling growth targets increases your reach
To better engage and leverage the full power of your employee base and brainpower, make everyone aware of how their work contributes to a clear target.
Your growth target might be a specific client account you’re going after. It might be breaking into a new sector to diversify. It might be expanding your capabilities to reach an adjacent market.
Expand what you think is possible
Many are familiar with the story of the NASA janitor who, when asked by President Kennedy what he did for NASA, responded, “I’m helping put a man on the moon.”
One thing I appreciate about this story is how thoroughly the NASA mission has been infused into its culture and the mindset of employees.
Too often, we “right size” our growth goals to what we think is possible. We look at the bandwidth and capacity of those in titled growth positions and adjust our targets accordingly.
Have a clear target
Whatever that must-win is for you and your business this year, know it and be able to communicate it in tremendous detail.
What’s the opportunity? What needs to happen to best position your business? And what’s everyone in the business’s role in making that happen?
Invite, encourage, and expect everyone to contribute and get specific
What if we took the constraints off and thought creatively about how everyone could contribute?
As a business leader, you could take the steps to define each person’s role. Alternatively, you could use this as a team-building opportunity and invite everyone to contribute ideas for how they could help. The key is to get specific.
This approach is a subtle but meaningful shift in how employees approach their work. Instead of generally focusing on broader recruiting goals, for example, HR is on the lookout for specific, necessary skills needed to secure your top target.
Brand new staff will offer an outside, fresh perspective. Those just out of school and new in their careers are especially well-positioned to roll up their sleeves and LinkedIn research on your buyer or competition or ghostwrite opinion pieces.
An all-hands-on-deck approach increases growth potential
Bringing intentional focus to business development and taking an all-hands-on-deck approach increases win probability and predictability in business growth. Employees want to contribute, but they sometimes need support in knowing what and how.
Leveraging every resource and asset at your disposal makes big, audacious goals much more feasible.
Are you measuring targeted goals
If your team goal is truly customer growth focused. you need a tool to measure the customer’s experience, and not just a “how are we doing” survey. Measuring your customer’s experience requires having an evaluation partner that knows your required deliverables. then measures to make sure they are happening consistently. We’re here as partners in your success. Reach out, we’re here to help.
Services
PETER ECONOMY AND CARL PHILLIPS
