Business coaching through growth thresholds

Category: Editorial

Richard Winfield - editor and principal consultant One of my favourite applications of coaching is to help people through thresholds. In my case I specialise in "helping managers who think they should be directors and directors who still think like managers". Moving from being a manager to a director is not a continuum; it is a conceptual leap into another identity, different responsibilities and different behaviours.

There are similar thresholds in business growth. An entrepreneur might have to make his/her first leap into becoming and employer. From being a freelance, they become a business. Not only do they now have to support someone else, but they are responsible for other people's behavour and have to introduce new systems.

The next stage is at about ten employees, when the management of the entrepreneur-led business has to expand and accept team leadership; a formal or informal board. Letting go of total control can be a big challenge!

Moving up the scale, there is another threshold at about 50 employees when the organisation has to take on 'big company' responsibilities; increased overheads such as a dedicated human resources manager. This might be stage at which to stop and think. Do you really want to continue growing? Would it be wise to split the company to keep the size and culture of smaller organisations? Do the benefits of size outweigh the extra costs? Can you maintain your agility and flexibility? Have you got an exit strategy, succession plan?

As organisations move through these thresholds they also need to review their advisors. Do they need different accountants, lawyers, insurance advisors? Are they networking with the right people?

Networks can provide powerful support and influence. Many small companies join breakfast clubs and other business or professional networks. But, just as in the early days, these can support and stretch a new business person, they can also be outgrown – and hold you back.

Brefi Group is bouncing up against a threshold in its own growth, with significant developments anticipated after our visit to Dubai and HRD 2006. Part of our strategy is to expand our support for other consultants, coaches and trainers. But to do this we shall also need to strengthen our own organisation.

Napoleon Hill researched VERY successful people and discovered that they were members of specialist networking groups of similarly successful people. He called them mastermind groups. I was reminded of these in a newsletter from Derek Gehl of The Internet Marketing Center. I have expanded his notes in this week's coaching notes.

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