Is your business a high-growth business?.

by Dave Pye, 15th October 2020

What we do know is that we are living in uncertain times.

What we also know is that businesses like clarity, certainty, and confidence.

My suggestion is that our industry takes a good look at itself and decides collectively, that each of our businesses are going to go for growth. However, we think the future might look or whatever shape these uncertain times may create for our people and our businesses, let us dust ourselves down and face the future with confidence. Let the recruitment leaders and owners display the confidence their people and businesses need. Right now.

So, what could a high-growth business look like?

Have a long term outlook

Let us be committed to taking actions and to building capability into our businesses. It is not always easy in times of uncertainty but it is possible. Look for easy wins; new wins; build on customers we may have lost or forgotten about for a little while; make sure we analyse all of our key numbers and follow new trends as well as continually seeking new opportunities in areas we had perhaps forgotten about.

Ensure we are investing in your people now

Talent matters. It has always mattered. However, it matters even more now. Whatever the ups and downs of the journey ahead it is our people that will take us where we need our businesses to go. To paraphrase an old US President, “it’s the people, stupid”. Now, our economy will be defined by how we look after, encourage, develop and train our people. For me, this means all of our people because all face customers in one-way or another. This is especially true if you are part of a business with less than 10 people. Smart leaders know that hiring, developing and retaining smart people will help them navigate to the new future with a much clearer focus.

Promise yourself that you will articulate a clear vision

As a leader your people are expecting you to lead. People want to be lead. Whether you lead a 2-person company or a 50 person company, if you are the one who is the leader, then lead. Stand up and be counted and provide clarity to your team, your customers, and your suppliers. Make the vision for the next few years crystal clear. ‘We are going to do this’. ‘We are not going to do this’. ‘We are not going to wait and see what happens in the next 2 years; we are going to act now’. It matters to your business that you are up front and honest about what will happen now.

We can joke about the old Private in Dad’s Army who screamed ‘Don’t Panic’ at will. However, he was right. If you articulate a clear vision, then there is no need for panic only calm, thoughtful leadership which brings opportunities of its own. If you are doing this and your competitors are not, you will be the triumphant one. Your job is to see the big picture, communicate the big picture and navigate your business to deliver the big picture.

On the journey in stormy waters or calm waters, a navigator can often be of assistance. We are all in for a journey and those that win will be the ones that grasp clarity out of uncertainty.

If you want to have a conversation with how Jump can assist you, get in touch with one of our trusted advisors today.

Dave Pye – Co-Founder & Director at Jump Advisory Group