There are so many moving parts in any business that it seems like it can sometimes be a never ending process to get things right. Even in a well run organization, there are inevitable leaks that spout as you are growing and moving forward with momentum. There is a pattern, or a life cycle in all businesses, no matter whether you are a restaurant, a tech company, a real estate group, a construction company…Big and small, we all face similar challenges as we grow. It’s not unlike the lifecycle of a human being, with the intense attention needed when your business is a newborn, to the chaos that ensues during the go-go grow phase, like an out of control teenager. Even when a business hits it prime, then inevitably starts to age, like we see now with brands like Sears, Red Robin, Chili’s, it’s just part of the cycle of life.
In our business we were teenagers for a very long time. I like to think now we have advanced to young adults, but there are still times when I wonder if I am not unlike my little 3 year old niece who insists she’s a big girl. Much of our teenager phase was recognizable by the lack of systems and the issues we faced. We spent a lot of energy and time “putting out fires” and plugging the holes that would happen all the time. It was like trying to hold a handful of goo. No matter how close I held my fingers together, there would inevitably be a leak, then another and another as I addressed each one. Teenagers are fearless. You can caution them and warn them about the perils of driving fast, but they want to learn by their own mistakes. We were in crisis mode all the time.
So how did we grow up? I made the decision. I got tired of the chaos and realized that I was the leader. It was time for me to grow up and take responsibility for the challenges we faced. We decided to stop hiring from desperation. We stopped assuming our people knew what to do just because they were experienced or well paid. We limited what we were focusing on, and changed that focus to leadership. We changed our inner circle and listened to different voices. We put new leaders in charge. This all gave momentum to the next phase in our growth. By focusing on our people and developing their leadership we are growing from the inside out. Instead of the pedal to the metal method of our adolescence, we have transformed into gardeners, planting seeds that are pushing from the bottom up towards the light. The process of developing leaders takes time. The seeds of greatness lay dormant until the conditions are right for them to germinate and grow. It is our mission now as leaders to find those seeds in our people and help them grow.
The decision to change the course of my organization, from the toddler stage when I was so in love with what we were selling, to the teenager stage when I was so in love with our guests, to the stage we are in now, where we are in love with our tribe, has brought me so much energy and keeps me motivated and loving what I do. I needed to redefine what we are here to do. I believe I am here on this earth still because my work is not done. I am here to help and serve the people in our tribe, which includes the employees, the clients, the vendors, and our communities. This is what gets me up early every day and keeps me smiling no matter what.
“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” E.E. Cummings