by Robin Camarote
The secret to sustainable growth is getting everyone on the same page.
Growth can be fulfilling for you as a leader and is essential for expanding your impact and serving more people. Yet achieving predictable growth is often elusive, particularly when it’s a group project for your leadership team.
Many organizations I work with have a familiar structure: a CEO supported by a C-suite, under which are business leaders managing different accounts or service lines. Typically, these teams gather once or twice a year to strategize. Each leader then sets their division’s priorities and dives into work — often heads-down, relatively isolated. While teams meet plenty, these discussions sound more like a brief out from a collection of individual contributors versus a real team huddle.
This diffuse, siloed approach takes people in different directions and out of alignment. They then miss critical opportunities to support each other and maximize growth.
For CEOs, this can be incredibly frustrating. They often tell me they feel their team is underutilized. It’s not that they’re not busy. Everyone is incredibly focused on their own work, their staff, and what they believe to be their problems.
The fix lies in intentional, regular team alignment.
When leadership teams align around the “5 Ps” of growth — purpose, positioning, people, pipeline, and promise — they operate more effectively.
1. Purpose
Define the purpose of growth. Achieving this starts with defining why growth is crucial for your specific business. What’s your purpose? What opportunities does growth open up for your customers, employees, industry, and community?
2. Positioning
Now clarify your market positioning. Understand what sets you apart from competitors and why customers choose you. This clarity helps in making informed decisions about which opportunities to pursue.
3. People
Discuss the people aspect next. Beyond roles and titles, consider the skills your team possesses and the gaps you need to fill to stay competitive. Decide whether to build skills internally, hire new talent, or partner with others.
4. Pipeline
Once your people are in place, focus on your pipeline. Ensure every leader knows what’s in the pipeline and the likelihood of winning these opportunities. Together, determine concrete actions to enhance these odds, with clear roles and timelines to boost accountability.
5. Promise
Finally, address the promise. Encourage each team member to articulate their personal commitment to growth. This process not only clarifies individual contributions but also fosters a sense of accountability.
Aligning your leadership team around these five elements simplifies complex challenges and enhances effectiveness. It fosters a stronger team dynamic and a shared commitment to growth, making the daunting task of business expansion both easier and more rewarding.
This post originally appeared at inc.com.