So, you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and actually start seeing some growth. Good for you. Talent-Driven Growth™ isn’t rocket science, but it does require a clear strategy and a commitment to doing the work. Here’s how you can get started—no fancy consultants needed.
1) Wake Up Your Stakeholders
First things first: Get key stakeholders on board. You can’t start this journey without some support, ideally your key lieutenants or leadership team will want to be involved. Hopefully they see as clearly as you do that what we’re doing now isn’t cutting it. Have the hard conversation: Are we really happy with where we are, or are we ready to actually do something about it? No buy-in, no growth. Simple as that.
2) Create a Growth Mindset
Time to shake off the old ways of thinking. Gather your leadership team and make sure everyone understands that muscling through growth isn’t sustainable. Introduce them to the S-Curve model and make it clear that the old “superhero” approach isn’t scalable. It’s time to get strategic. This is about working smarter, not harder.
3) Identify Your Lifters, Maintainers, and Drag/Delayers
Look at your team and be brutally honest: Who’s actually lifting the company up, who’s just keeping things steady, and who’s delaying our progress? Start categorizing your people based on how they’re contributing to your movement. Lifters should be front and center, while maintainers need clear directions. As for the drag/delayers – well, it’s time to have some tough conversations.
4) Make Room on Your Plate—Find 20% of Time for Growth
You can’t lead Talent-Driven Growth if you’re buried under daily tasks and firefighting. Free up at least 20% of your time to focus on this initiative. That’s eight hours a week, minimum. Until you can carve out that time, don’t even bother starting. Trust me, trying to drive growth while you’re bogged down in the weeds is a recipe for burnout and flavor-of-the-month results.
5) Clarify Your Destination
Where exactly are you trying to go? This isn’t the time for vague goals like “we need to grow.” Be specific. Define what success looks like for your business. Whether it’s entering a new market, launching a new product, or increasing revenue by a set percentage, you need a clear target. And once you’ve got it, communicate it relentlessly.
6) Match Talent to Your Growth Agenda
Now that you know where you’re going, it’s time to align your people with that vision. Take a close look at your lifters and maintainers. Are they in the right roles to help you hit your goals? If not, make changes—immediately. Look at the CORE of your key players. Are their motivational preferences aligned with our requirements? Get your top talent working on the tasks that excite them and directly contribute to your growth objectives. Don’t leave this to chance.
7) Build the Right Processes
If your current systems are holding you back, it’s time to upgrade. Whether it’s a clunky performance management system or a bottleneck in your production line, fix what’s broken. Think of this as upgrading the plumbing in your house—boring, maybe, but essential if you want everything to run smoothly. And no, you can’t just muscle your way through this. Put the right processes in place and let them do the heavy lifting.
8) Institutionalize Your Efforts
You’re not just looking for a quick win here; you need sustainable growth. That means taking the practices that work and baking them into your company’s DNA. Formalize the processes, systems, and culture that drive growth. This is about turning deliberate actions into everyday habits. The more you institutionalize, the less you’ll have to worry about backsliding.
9) Keep an Eye on the Bottlenecks and Vulnerabilities
Even with the best plans, bottlenecks and vulnerabilities surface and bite you in the ass. The trick is to spot them early and deal with them fast. Whether it’s a slow approval process or a one-person choke point, fix it before it kills your momentum. And don’t just assume everything’s fine because no one’s complaining. Proactively look for areas where things could get jammed up and clear them out.
10) Prepare for What’s Next
Finally, remember that the only constant is change. Once you’re moving forward, start thinking about the next phase. What will your company need when you reach the next level of growth? Start prepping your team for that now. Whether it’s finding ways to better extend the path you are on or if it’s time to finding the next great thing (e.g., Jump-the-S), don’t wait until you’re fall behind to make these moves.
Ready to Get Started?
You don’t need another consultant, another idea, or another seminar. You’ve got the tools to start Talent-Driven Growth™ right now. So, stop waiting for the perfect moment—it’s never going to come. Roll up your sleeves, get your team on board, and start driving the growth you’ve been craving.
And if you ever need a little extra guidance, you know where to find us. But for now, get out there and make it happen. Your business deserves it.