Growth Catalysts & Hindrances

In your experience, what’s been the best catalyst for company growth? 

The biggest catalyst for company growth is definitely enthusiasm for the product or service you’re offering AND stepping outside your comfort zone. If you can embrace the concept that failure is part of the path to success, and encourage your team members to try new things, you will be amazed at your results.

If you have a team that believes in the mission of your company providing quality products/services, you’re going to have a team that sells without even trying. 

There are, of course other catalysts that can really sway your company one way or another. A few of them are:

• Self-awareness. This applies both personally and professionally. You need to not only see the benefits your company can bring, but also what might not be working.
• The willingness to change. If you have someone on your team that isn’t willing to change a bad habit or behavior, they’re not ready to grow. If they’re not ready to grow, neither will your company.
• Tools. Do you have all the tools you need to succeed? Do you know what all the tools are? This isn’t a pitch to go out and find the fanciest tool that does the most things, it’s the plea to find the right tool fit for the job at hand. 
• Communication skills. Either you have them or you need them. Everyone can improve. 
• Active Listening. Listen to what your employees say and need. Listen to what your clients say and need. Filling their needs – both expressed and understood – is far more fulfilling than selling something they don’t.  

What is the biggest hindrance?

The biggest hindrance is lack of cohesion. This can be in the ever-changing-vision of the company, the lack of clearly defined roles and responsibilities, or simply personality differences that clash in the workplace. 

If you cannot see eye-to-eye with your employees, and/or they cannot see eye-to-eye with each other, you will be spinning in circles, bumping into each other and clashing, rather than moving the train forward. 

There are, of course, other hindrances that can affect your company:

• Mismanagement. This applies to employees, clients and finances.
• Micromanagement. This doesn’t give room for people to try, fail, try again and grow.
• Disconnect. A disconnect from upper management to lower; a disconnect from those who are issuing orders and those who are fulfilling them.

Ultimately, your company should reflect your values and your voice. Having a great staff that understands and appreciates those values will magnify the reach and impact of your mission.