The Origins of the Stages of Growth – Navigating the Growth Curve (James Fischer)
Over a decade ago, James Fischer published the book, Navigating the Growth Curve, in which he introduced a groundbreaking methodology for understanding how businesses grow. Based on decades of research and observation of small and mid-sized businesses, Fischer discovered how the complexity of an organization drives the rules by which a business must operate to continue to grow. The research also showed that the driver of complexity within a business the number of employees.
Navigating the Growth Curve by James Fischer
The 7 Stages of Growth methodology identified specific ranges of employees that shared a common level of complexity. For each Stage, the organization was provided the ideal alignment with seven areas or dimensions – Gates of Focus, Classic Challenges, Builder-Protector Ratio, Leadership Style, Three Faces of a Leader, Modality, and Non-Negotiable Rules.
The Classic 7 Stages of Growth
Since its introduction, this revolutionary concept has been recognized for its uncanny ability to diagnose, prescribe, and predict what occurs in businesses. The Stages of Growth has helped new businesses successfully navigate rapid growth and help stagnant businesses grow again.
Champions of the Methodology - Laurie Taylor of Flashpoint! and TTI Success Insights (formerly Target Training International)
In addition to Fischer, the champions of the methodology have been Laurie Taylor of Flashpoint! and TTI Success Insights (formerly Target Training International).
Laurie Taylor of Flashpoint! and TTI Success Insights - Stages of Growth Matrix
After working with Fischer during the early years of the methodology, Laurie Taylor has spent over a decade as a spokesperson for the 7 Stages of Growth. Taylor has personally trained hundreds of Growth Curve Specialists in the methodology across the U.S. and around the globe. More recently, she has authored a series of books that delve into the each of the Stages of the Growth in more detail.
Stages of Growth X-Ray™
Taylor’s Stages of Growth X-Ray™ is used by a business to gain consensus on the organization’s current stage, diagnose points of misalignment, and facilitate the selection of initiatives.
Example of Stages of Growth X-Ray (Flashpoint!, Laurie Taylor, TTI Success Insights)
TTI Success Insights has built a reputation for innovative assessments for businesses. Prior to 2020, TTI collaborated with Taylor with training of independent consultants in the methodology and has supported an online Stages of Growth X-Ray™.
The Amplified Stages of Growth– Organizational ReWilding®
In 2017, The ReWild Group LLC was founded upon the acquisition of Fischer’s intellectual property, including his decades of research and copyright of Navigating the Growth Curve.
ReWild Group’s goal is to provide comprehensive solutions to the Classic Stages of Growth methodology which complements the Classic’s ability to accurately diagnose and prescribe.
The expanded capabilities of the methodology demand a powerful analogy – one that goes beyond Navigating the Growth Curve – but remains true to the idea that businesses are complex ecosystems.
Example of upgraded Stages of Growth
The company and its new methodology – Organizational ReWilding® – get their name from the scientific concept of “rewilding”. The most well-known occurrence of rewilding in nature occurred in Yellowstone National Park in the 1990s. At that time, Yellowstone was an ecosystem on the verge of collapse due to an overabundance of elk. The reintroduction of the grey wolf – a missing key systemic element – helped transform Yellowstone by restoring the natural balance of this ecosystem – what scientist refer to as “rewilding”.
“The expanded capabilities of the methodology demand a powerful analogy – one that goes beyond Navigating the Growth Curve – but remains true to the idea that businesses are complex ecosystems.”
This story of rewilding Yellowstone shows us that infusing a missing element into an ecosystem can have a monumental impact – one that reverberates throughout and touches every part of the system, affecting it for years and decades to come. (Watch the Organizational ReWilding Story Video)
Vastly Expanded Capabilities for Independent Consultants
Since 2017, The ReWild Group has launched several improvements to the original Stages of Growth methodology – what is now referred to as the “Classic” Stages of Growth.
Navigating the Growth Curve - EBook Version
UPdated Stages of Growth Matrix
While the core principles of the “Classic” Stages of Growth remained intact within the additional research Fischer performed since 2006, there were refinements that naturally were discovered.
One of the key improvements is the expansion of Non-Negotiable Rules for each Stage of Growth. Furthermore, the Non-Negotiable Rules have been split into six categories to ensure proportional growth across these areas.
In addition to this refinement, a major addition to the Stages of Growth Matrix is the identification of Elements – key structures that need to be infused into an organization. These Elements act as the “grey wolf” in Yellowstone – once infused into a business’ ecosystem, there is a tremendous, positive ripple effect that spreads throughout the system addressing a myriad of surface symptoms.
Organizational ReWilding 7 Stages of Growth Matrix - Front (2021)
Key Element Packages
Whereas the “Classic” Stages of Growth was uniquely capable at diagnosing, prescribing, and predicting what was occurring within a business at a given Stage, it did not provide tangible solutions. For example, the “Classic” Stages of Growth had a rule regarding overhauling a company’s “Business Model” but did not define how to do that.
The ReWild Group has developed a Business Model engagement that independent consultants can use to help clients architect a resilient and profitable business. This is just one of 11 new packages and programs that are available or in development by ReWild Group.
One program that is totally unique to Organizational ReWilding® is the Exceptional Manager Program. This is a 12-month management team program that infuses a strong management team into an organization.
The Element Wheel provide a summary of each element and common symptoms as a starting place to understanding these powerful structures. The book series Organizational ReWilding: Elements of an Exceptional Business highlights the key principles for each element and guidance on how to implement in an organization.
Elements of an Exceptional Business - New Capabilities of the Updated Stages of Growth
Online Stages of Growth Series
To make the Stages of Growth more accessible to today’s business leaders, ReWild Group has developed an Online Series that teaches the principles through an interactive learning platform. By moving the concepts from a book to an interactive platform, the ability for business leaders to learn and apply the Stages of Growth has increased exponentially.
Organizational ReWilding Stages of Growth - Stage Cards - 2021
Most Comprehensive Stages of Growth Assessment
The Navigating the Growth Curve book introduced the concept of an “X-Ray” assessment that helped see beneath the surface of a business and understand the hidden agents at work.
As part of the update, The ReWild Group introduced the most comprehensive Stages of Growth Assessment – called the ReWild Business Assessment. This powerful assessment evaluates identifies the misalignment with the Stages of Growth dimensions while also identifying a business’ missing key elements. Essentially, this assessment finds the missing “grey wolves” in a business.
“When debriefing business owners on the ReWild Business Assessment findings, I had some of the deepest conversations I’d ever experienced with my clients – people I’ve been working with for many years. The findings presented in this report revealed discoveries about their business that wouldn’t have happened in the absence of this assessment.”
guidebook series for every stage of growth
Released in 2021, the Organizational ReWilding Rules for Business Growth is a series of books that explain the key dimensions within the Stages of Growth. Each book is relevant for a specific Stage, giving business owners and advisers tailored information for maximum impact.
The books are concise, designed to be read in less than 60 minutes. Each chapter closes with an illustrative example of what misalignment with that particular dimension looks like in action, and is followed by practical tips and thought-provoking questions. The guidebooks can be ordered online from Amazon in Kindle or paperbook format. Click here to learn more.
Helping Growth Curve Specialists expand the impact of Stages of Growth
The “Classic” Stages of Growth methodology has been used by Growth Curve Specialists and other independent consultants to positively impact small and midsize businesses around the globe.
Organizational ReWilding 7 Stages of Growth Matrix - Back (2021)
We encourage you to learn more about how this major update to Fischer’s original 7 Stages of Growth is achieving new levels of comprehension, effectiveness and enduring transformation in businesses.
Feedback from certified Stages of Growth Advisers (TTI Success Insights fka Targeted Training International)
““Growth is a focus of my overall business philosophy, and that is why I have appreciated the Stages of Growth methodology for a number of years. Rather than just solving the immediate issues a business owner faces, it focuses on the root causes of barriers to growth. Previously, I never felt confident coming to the market with this methodology because it was not built out beyond the concepts. The ReWild Group has made tremendous advancements to the classical Stages of Growth material to the point it now has the tools I can use to apply this methodology to businesses.” ”
Become Certified in the Updated Version of the Stages of Growth
The ReWild Group is on a mission to multiply the number of exceptional businesses globally. We’re accomplishing this through the compelling Organizational ReWilding methodology that is built on an expanded and refined Stages of Growth methodology.