How Big is Big, And the Mystery of Growth
People used to ask me – an off/on agency owner for a couple of decades – about our agency growth plans. I would always answer with the truth: “We will grow as big as we can until we become what we despise or lower our standards for good work.”
Growth needs context.
This week Microsoft CEO Satay Nadella testified in the U.S. government’s antitrust suit against Google. He said that Google made it hard for Microsoft to compete. Microsoft is a $2.4T company.
Let the tiny violins play. 🎻
If you’re reading this, their context for growth is likely not yours.
The reality for most of us is that size matters, because size correlates to culture. Every organization should come to grips with their growth in terms of size, because at that point size equals values, and values define if lives are, or are able to be, well lived.
David Byrne on the album Stop Making Sense (see the concert film) has a few thoughts on that:
And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack
And you man find yourself in another part of the world
And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife
And you may ask yourself
Well…How did I get here?
If you own or run a business, or are choosing to be employed by a business for a living, you might want to ask yourself “Why this?” so that “How did I get here?” doesn’t rattle your soul at some point.
In 51Group’s case, we are often asked about growth and our plans for it. Our response is a steady variation of the same few points. We answer in what we value: We do what we do because we want to work remotely, have flexibility, and enjoy the zone that comes with mastery (meaning we get naturally high doing what we’re great at). We also detest bullshit and choose to work with clients we like.
We will grow only if our growth aligns with these values.
Growth has its place, depending on what you want first, and need second. If you own a business and want to be acquired, by all means embrace a growth strategy. If your infrastructure is bigger than your customer fuel, adopt a revenue strategy (different from growth). For non-profits who want to serve more people, do a bit of both.
And you may ask yourself
How do I work this?
And you may ask yourself
Where is that large automobile?
And you may tell yourself
This is not my beautiful house
And you may tell yourself
This is not my beautiful wife
Think about what you care about today, because your long-term values will be developed by what you find important. And because those of us in business often define ourselves by our work, are competitive, and are culturally wired for growth, it is a common pitfall for us to consider business growth to be the measuring stick for success. We read case studies and business publications about people who’s millions are their proof point or even their legacy. And so we think we have to grow, expand and otherwise compound earnings to meet this cultural context of success.
You’ve heard of “too big to fail.”
We suggest a reframe: Consider not failing by being too big. At least not just for big’s sake.