Mike Van Horn on “Are You Ready for Growth?”

Mike Van Horn has a lot of good articles on his small business website. One in particular that’s worth reading is “Are You Ready for Growth?”  Here are some highlights:

• The better teams you can build… the faster you can grow.
  People who grow companies rapidly know how to put a good team in place, then move on to the next thing. They become a leader of independent teams.
• The better you use your time–the faster you can grow.
  Invest your time strategically; be less concerned with saving time or managing time.
• The more you think things through ahead of time–the faster you can grow.
  That means planning, including strategic plans, action plans, and project plans, with built-in review and accountability.
• The savvier your advisors–the faster you can grow.
  You let go of the “lone ranger” approach to running the business. As your business grows, get advisors who are one step ahead of you.
• The more you insist on top performance… the faster you can grow.
  Do not let mediocre performers dictate your rate of growth, whether they are employees, customers, vendors, or professionals.
• The more knowledge you can get out of your head and the more systematized you get–the faster you can grow.
  Create manuals, checklists, and training seminars that teach employees all the magical things that you think only you can do. Then you and your people can focus attention on the big, creative challenges.

The first rule is “The more you can let go, the more you can grow.“