Situation: A CEO is contemplating the company’s growth over the next year. One key manager is leaving, an aggressive target has been set for the year, and the company needs to fund this growth from planned cash flow. The biggest question is whether the existing team can handle this growth. How do you manage the company’s growth?

Advice from the CEOs:

• All managers reach the limit of their abilities sooner or later. It happens on different timetables to different people. The critical question is how well does the team learn along the way?
• It’s important to recognize first, what you don’t know, and second, to decide how to cover this deficiency.
  • The deficit can be filled through team learning, hiring someone with the need expertise, or bringing in a consultant with the needed skills.
• If there are too many meetings, are they all necessary? Do they accomplish what needs to be done? Or might they be part of a routine or habit that needs review.
  • Beware the standing meeting.
• Analyze the company’s infrastructure. Look at strengths and weaknesses of all departments. Determine the resources necessary to fill in the gaps.
• Look at things that are being done now that perhaps shouldn’t be done.
  • Alternatively, are there things you are not being done that should be done?
  • What risks is the company assuming through current management behavior?
• Don’t accept problems brought to the CEO for remedy without an alternative of some kind from the individual raising the problem.
  • The CEO can’t do it all; that’s why there’s a management team.
• Choose with care those issues delegated to a peer or subordinate for solution.
  • Another CEO told of an issue where he delegated a critical project to the wrong person and the job wasn’t done.
  • Confidence must be established for effective delegation.

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