How big your organisation is doesn’t really matter

By ‘Uju Onwuzulike

In the end, the customer doesn’t know, or care, if you are small or large as an organisation.. she or he only focuses on the garment hanging on the rail in the store
— Giorgio Armani

 

WITH the rate of change in the business world today, having the mindset or perception that one’s organisation is big or small may not be strategic and in the best interest of any organisation. Forward looking organisations and also those that are strategic in all facets of their operations focus only on GROWTH. They keep asking the pertinent question: how do we grow the more regardless of people’s perception of our size?

We have heard and seen over the years, stories of global companies who taught they were so big, have arrived, and were invincible abound.

Much to our chagrin, some of them went under due to one insidious act or the other. When we take wrong actions in organisations, they tend to create “unintended consequences”. Sadly, one or two of such can sink the organisation. We do not intend to write names of such failed global companies.

Global players

On the other hand, companies that always think they are small (and cannot make major business impact) will only succeed in limiting their business growth potentials.

They may not be able to move to the next level of growth. Today, we have lists of businesses that started small and have grown to become global players.

You might ask, if we are not to focus on being big or small, what should be our focus? The answer is simple; your focus MUST be on GROWTH.

Companies that are perceived to be “big (by which ever standard) can grow more and more. On the other hand, companies that are perceived to be small today can equally outgrow big companies in the future. So let us re-shift our thinking to Growth mentality.

Any organisation that ‘sleeps’ when others are running may not have the growth mentality (“when the rate of change on the outside exceeds the inside, the end is near”).

The only way to retain control over your business is by growing, and this is because businesses and customer needs are ever dynamic and will continue to be. The truth is that “no organisation is too big to fail”.

Organisations have two choices to make, either to stay in the “Maintenance Mode” and stop growing or to step into the “Growth Mode.”

Organisations in the “Maintenance Mode” will experience the following:

Your competitors catch up with you or take up your position. Your revenue drops. Your products or services might become old fashioned. Your employee’s sense of creativity and innovation stifles.

Points to ponder:

The notion of either staying small or big should not be the focus. Whether you are big or small, the key thing is GROWTH. The only way to retain control over your business is by GROWING. Have you seen any organisation that has “we have arrived” status? The answer is No.

 

Final Note:

There is no better time to grow your organisation than now. Long term growth will not be achieved by doing things the old way. It will never be achieved by “piecemeal” or analytical way of doing things, because it creates unintended consequences for the company.

Most times, they are difficult to handle. Growing an organisation requires using “Systems Thinking Approach” – where everybody’s focus is entirely on the organisation, and not on self or some parts of the organisation.

Achieving this focus or goal is sometimes hard for some people, but it MUST be achieved.

Call or email us for your views or perspectives:

Email:uju@hainescentre.com

Mobile: 09091142093