Congratulations! Your business is in Stage 3, the Delegation Stage. As the leader of a Stage 3 business, you’ve got a lot of demands on your time and attention. Where do you focus? How do you prioritize?
What research has shown us is that each Stage has its own rules and guidelines. The more you understand the rules, the better you can navigate growth. In other words, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel and figure everything out on your own. Instead, you can benefit from what hundreds of other business owners have learned.
Following is a brief overview of what those rules look like for a Stage 3 business. If you’d like to go deeper, keep reading and explore the resources linked below.
A Quick Overview of Stage 3
Stage 3 marks a time of transition. Whereas the business used to be small enough to revolve around the owner, at this point the business becomes enterprise-centric. As the leader, you won’t have as much direct influence over the employees, so you’ll need structure and clear communication firmly in place. Positions and roles should be clearly defined. Commit to coaching three to five managers—delegate responsibilities to them and make sure they have what they need to be successful. (If you’re unable to delegate, you’re capping how much your business can grow.)
Don’t make big changes quickly. Get buy-in from the staff or you’ll lose momentum. Make sure there is a clear onboarding process for new hires so that every new person who joins is fully assimilated and able to contribute right away. Long-term, strategic planning is critical in Stage 3, including a three-year strategic plan and a one-year operational plan. Make clear distinctions between marketing, sales, and customer service. Those three areas comprise Business Development and their different functions can easily overlap, leading to confusion. Put in place a more robust financial system that can grow with the company.
As a leader, you should be a strong mentor for the leadership team while fostering a collaborative environment of trust and respect. By upholding high standards of success, your example will motivate the rest of the team to give their highest and best.
Go Deeper
Stage 3 Guidebook
The 60-minute Guide to Growth for businesses with between 20-34 employees is a must-have for every owner of a Stage 3 business. The Guidebook explains the primary dimensions of a Stage 3 business, including Leadership Style, Modality, Classic Challenges, and Transition Zones. Each chapter includes illustrations that bring the concepts to life along with practical applications questions you can apply to your business. Get your copy today!
Stage Card
The two-sided Stage Card is an easy way to keep the rules that are most beneficial for your Stage 3 business close at hand. Print a copy and keep it on your desk. Share it with your team. The better you understand the rules, the more focus and clarity you will provide as a leader. Get your free copy now!
Assessments
There are a variety of assessments you can access on our website. Each one addresses a specific area of business, such as leadership, finance, and workplace community. They only take about two minutes to submit, and you’ll receive a valuable download that explains how the rules in that particular area apply to a business of your size. Best of all, these assessments are free! Click the button to start exploring.
The 11 Elements of an Exceptional Business
In this new series—Organizational ReWilding: Elements of an Exceptional Business—we explore each element individually. Each book takes on a different element, explaining the underlying principles and illustrating what the application of those principles looks like in a business. At the end of each chapter, you’ll find a list of application questions designed to help you think through the concepts and apply them to your own situation.
Online Video Series
For those who prefer learning by video, the Stages of Growth Online Series is an excellent resource. Through a series of ten videos, you will learn about the key dimensions, or areas, that make up a business. For every dimension, there is an illustrative story, followed by the principles underlying that dimension, a quiz, and activities to help you apply the knowledge directly to your business.
“We’ve always had growth on our minds, and there are always challenges that come up. Working with the ReWild Group has helped us navigate those challenges, and instead of being so reactive, helped us be a lot more proactive, which has made everything a lot smoother.”
Find out what other business owners are saying about The ReWild Group.
Visit our Testimonials page to hear first-hand accounts of what other business owners have experienced with Organizational ReWilding®. You’ll find short videos, quotes, and case studies that illustrate the power of the methodology. Check back often for updates! The stories are growing rapidly. (Who knows? Yours might be next …)