Fostering Growth Through Delegation: The Power of Aligning Around a Shared Vision

As an entrepreneur, you have managed to start and grow a successful business. You have navigated through the early phases of hustle, found your niche, and recognized that you had become a bottleneck, leading you to empower your team to make decisions and manage their groups. This increased delegation resulted in an immediate boost in growth, but the pace of that growth has slowed. You have tried some of the tips and tricks that got you to this point, but you just can’t seem to get the team rowing in the same direction. You know you need to try something new, but what?

Understanding Where Your Feet Are

First, let’s get an understanding of the broader path you are walking and clarify where your feet are so we can understand the best steps forward from here. To do this, it’s helpful to look at the Griener Curve, a model that outlines the stages of organizational growth. Developed by Larry E. Griener, the Griener Curve describes the evolution of organizations as they grow and face various crises at different stages. Each stage presents unique challenges and opportunities, requiring different strategies and leadership styles.

• Growth Through Creativity: Organizations begin their journey with a burst of creativity and innovation. Founders and early team members work closely, communication is informal, and everyone wears multiple hats. This stage is marked by enthusiasm and a collaborative spirit.

• Crisis of Leadership: As the company grows, informal communication becomes inefficient, leading to a crisis of leadership. The need for professional management and clear structures becomes evident. Companies must transition from a loose, entrepreneurial approach to a more formalized leadership structure.

• Growth Through Direction: With the introduction of professional management, the company experiences growth through direction. Departments are formed, roles become more defined, and the organization starts to operate more efficiently. Clear goals and strategic planning drive this phase of growth.

• Crisis of Autonomy: As departments grow, the need for more autonomy arises. Centralized management becomes a bottleneck, leading to frustration and inefficiency. Employees and managers alike seek more independence in their roles and decision-making.

• Growth Through Delegation: Decentralization and delegation of authority help resolve the autonomy crisis. Managers are given the power to make decisions, allowing the company to grow further. This stage is characterized by increased empowerment and accountability at all levels.

• Crisis of Control: Decentralization can lead to a lack of coordination and control, causing inefficiencies and conflicts between departments. The organization must find a balance between autonomy and oversight.

• Growth Through Coordination: Implementing formal systems for coordination and control helps address the crisis of control. Cross-functional teams and improved communication systems are established. The organization becomes more cohesive and aligned.

• Crisis of Red Tape: As control systems become too rigid, they can stifle creativity and responsiveness, leading to a crisis of red tape. Bureaucracy and excessive regulations hinder the organization’s agility.

• Growth Through Collaboration: Breaking down silos and fostering collaboration helps overcome the red tape crisis. The organization becomes more flexible and adaptive. A culture of teamwork and open communication drives this phase of growth.

Growth Through Delegation

Our entrepreneur in the introduction is in the phase of Growth through Delegation, but why isn’t their company growing? Imagine having ten people on your rowboat. Now separate them into five different boats and ask them to row, but don’t tell them where to go. What do you think would happen? Five boats rowing in five directions. In this case, you have certainly delegated out the task of rowing, but you haven’t achieved the goal of collectively getting anywhere. Now imagine giving each boat the destination. Now you have five boats pointed in one direction.

Like a rowboat without a destination, delegation without vision does not create growth on its own, it just creates delegation. True growth occurs when delegation is coupled with vision, creating an organization where everyone understands the larger purpose and direction – where everyone is galvanized around a shared vision.

Steps to Galvanize Your Team Around a Shared Vision

With these foundational principles in mind, let's explore how you can effectively galvanize your team around a shared vision and drive sustainable growth through delegation in your organization.

• Set a Clear Direction: Start by outlining your core values and your vision for the company. This sets the destination and the rules of the road along the way. When everyone understands the larger purpose, their day-to-day actions become more meaningful.

• Establish Clear Expectations: Structure is crucial. Begin by defining the right structure for your business, independent of the people currently in the organization. Once the structure is in place, clearly define the roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities for each position. Then, assign your team members to these roles based on their gifts, desires, and capabilities.

• Rally and Inspire: As a leader, you should meet with your company regularly to discuss where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’re going. Never miss an opportunity to talk about the core values and vision. Managers at all levels should also meet with their teams regularly. Hiring, developing, correcting, and firing should be based on your clear direction and clear expectations. Communication needs to be continuous to ensure that everyone is on the same page and committed to the shared vision.

Intentional Galvanization: A Necessity for Growing Companies

In smaller companies, galvanizing your team can happen organically. When you’re five people in the same space, it’s easy to have spontaneous conversations and shared experiences. However, as your company grows, unintentional galvanization becomes insufficient. With multiple offices and layers in the organization, you need to intentionally galvanize your team or it will not happen at all.

Conclusion

In summary, fostering growth through delegation requires more than simply delegating tasks. It requires galvanizing your team intentionally – setting a clear direction, establishing clear expectations, and continuously communicating with your team to align everyone with the shared vision. By doing this, you intentionally create an environment where people are galvanized around a shared vision, empowering them to opt in or opt out, ensuring that those who remain are truly committed to the company’s success.

Are you ready to intentionally galvanize your team around your vision and take your business to the next level? If so, email me at info@odysseyadvisors.us and let’s start a conversation.