In Stage 7, the ideal Builder-Protector Ratio is 2:1, which means there is twice the level of confidence as caution in the organization.
As shown in the graphic, the portion of Protectors in Stage 7 has returned to the same level as Stage 5, indicating a confident organization. This represents a slight decrease in Builder mentality from Stage 6, which positions the business for the long run. The 2:1 ratio reflects a relationship between Builders and Protectors that advances the company at a sustainable pace. The company will need to double its number of employees to grow completely through Stage 7, a process that can take a long time.
This high level of confidence sustains an optimism in the future and fuels the willingness to take the necessary risks to keep the company from becoming complacent. New offerings and strategies will be required as the organization responds to market changes and emerging opportunities.
Just as with the prior two Stages, the Leadership Team needs to be mindful of key individuals who are naturally Protectors. If they press too hard on the brakes, the entire organization will be stopped.
In Stage 7, the Leadership Team is now guiding the strategic direction of the business. At this size, the organization must lean on shared language, values, and structures to sustain its unified culture. This will require significant and intentional energy exerted to communicate with the entire organization, as well as the introduction of a company-wide program that supports and rewards individuals who demonstrate the company’s values.
With a sustainable level of confidence in place, the organization with a 2:1 Builder-Protector Ratio is positioned to mature proportionately across all functional areas and achieve sustainable, long-term growth.
Misalignment can occur when organizations reach Stage 7 without an integrated, professional Management Team and a maturing Leadership Team who are both being challenged to reach a high level of confidence. Weaknesses at either of these levels of the organization may result in the company regressing to previous Stages.
Another contributor to misalignment from the ideal ratio can come from influential, key members of the organization who have not bought into the direction of the company and who serve as Protectors, undermining confidence.
Builder-Protector Ratio Misalignment
A call center company that offers 24/7 support for medium-size businesses has found a great deal of success, in large part due to the consistency of service it provides. The organization has refined its hiring process to the point where it can attract and retain the right kind of talent to provide quality customer service and tech support over the phone. With large new contracts coming in, Human Resources has ramped up hiring to prepare for the influx in the workload.
A shift is taking place in the marketplace, however. More and more companies are requesting chat services in addition to phone support. The company has exclusively provided phone support in the past, and that’s what their employees were hired to provide. When the new clients request chat support, employees are resistant. The recent hires are especially unwilling to shift because they interviewed specifically for phone support, which requires strong oral communication skills, whereas chat support requires strong written communication skills. Many of the Managers are reluctant to make the shift as well. They have comfortable careers with the company and are hesitant to try anything new that might rock the boat.
This company has become stagnant due to an overabundance of Protectors, causing a reluctance to pursue change. It would benefit from a strong message from leadership reminding people that providing support is their number one goal, and while the technology might change, the goal hasn’t. They could also benefit from understanding that they can’t maintain the same size if they aren’t willing to adapt. Status quo is not a viable option, because the company is going to lose clients by refusing to take a chance on change.
The concepts from this article were taken from The Visionary Stage: Organizational ReWilding Rules for Business Growth. Available through The ReWild Group and Amazon, the book explores this and other concepts in-depth while providing illustrations to help business leaders incorporate the ideas into their organizations. Get your copy today to learn the rules for growth for companies with 161-350 employees.