(The following is a figment of my imagination only and any resemblance to anyone living, dead or otherwise is purely accidental.

I had a horrible consultant’s dream the other night, where I found myself shouted down in a planning session when I had the temerity to suggest that the “g” word was suspiciously absent from the prioritized corporate action-list. 

“Growth is an outcome!” one person shouted.  “We need to fix the
plumbing and growth will come our way!” shouted another.  “Growth is
not our issue,” hollered a third person who I had observed arriving
just after the financial review showcased what can only be described as
reverse growth. “Death to the growth zealot,” shouted a fourth baring
his teeth.” I remember looking at the door and mentally calculating
whether I would win the footrace to the exit should that be
necessary.   Fortunately, my alarm clock went off and I breathed easier
until I remembered that I was facilitating a discussion about growth in
two hours.  I immediately broke out in a sweat.  Fortunately for me,
the group was much less “Lord of the Flies-like” than the team in my
dream.  I did however maintain an unobstructed view to the door at all
times.

On a more serious note, I have over the past few years found myself in a number of discussions with executives where the notion of “growing” seemed tertiary to many other activities.  And while I get the idea of a softer, gentler business, especially some of the cool privately-held firms that I work with, I find myself never straying far from the notion that the drive to grow should be at the center of all discussions.  I know it’s not visionary, I know it can sound evil (especially if interpreted as growth at all costs), and I know it is an outcome of executing on strategy and serving clients.  I just can’t get it out of my mind that I want to connect all of my activities to growth. Here’s why: GROWTH CREATES OPPORTUNITIES.

There’s nothing in business quite like the excitement of managing the opportunities and challenges of growth. While some people thrive on the turn-around (It can be a blast as well), I love the leadership challenges and opportunities that growth provides.

-Growth demands innovation in operating approaches.  Old systems and styles give way to new approaches that help the business scale.  The need to innovate internally provides opportunities for everyone in every role to create and contribute.

-Growth creates fertile opportunities for professional development for everyone through new assignments, new challenges and new positions.

-Growth tests the character of leaders and provides ample opportunities to showcase the firm’s values through decision-making as well as hiring and developing employees.

-Growth creates investment capital that can lead to more new opportunities for everyone involved.
-In addition to testing and stressing your skills at innovating and scaling operations, growth tests and helps develop your skills in strategy.  Choices are fairly obvious in a turn-around situation, whereas in a growth situation, the number and complexity of choices expands exponentially.  The focus on constant assessment of strategic options and evaluate of market, competitor and customer forces helps strengthens the organization.  The resultant experimentation with strategic choices creates and reinforces a rich learning environment for the firm.  These are all good things. 

-It’s easier to make more money and pay people more money and that’s a good thing.

The bottom-line on this seemingly unnecessary defense of growth.

OK, I find myself on the side of defending motherhood with this argument in support of growth. (I am very pro motherhood by the way.)  Nonetheless,  I’ve received enough push-back on the topic to want to call it out.  Growth is good…growth creates opportunities.  Decline creates opportunities as well…they’re just not as much fun.  When I start dreaming about rabid hordes of growth-oriented strategists chasing me from meetings, I’ll know it’s time to shift directions.