In most cases, growth is a good problem to have. It means business is thriving. We are producing goods and services that solve problems for our customers. Word-of-mouth is fueling our reputation and we’ve become a magnet for recruitment. In a perfect world, we would carefully cull the candidates and filter them for culture alignment and role fit.
Unfortunately, we don’t always have that luxury. The talent pool is thin and the urgency to meet demand is pressing. Sometimes, having a pulse is the sole criterion. If we’re adding people at breakneck speed, we can fall prey to compromising our standards. There are three key vulnerabilities in this situation:
- Insufficient attention to mission/values fit.
- Lack of clarity of workplace rules, roles, and boundaries.
- Inattention to the impact of change on the workforce.
Insufficient attention to mission/value fit
Workplace culture does not build and sustain itself. It takes deliberate investment and regular re-investment to ensure words and actions consistently support the common direction of the team. Under stress, teammates are most likely to lapse into behaviors that unintentionally undermine the culture. Leadership should pay careful attention to day-to-day examples of mission and values, acknowledging positive examples and responding to negative influences with accountability.
Lack of clarity of workplace rules, roles, and boundaries
Everyone wants to know what is expected of them. Knowing when to stay in your lane and when it’s okay to change lanes is tricky during times of rapid growth. Knowing where my work ends and yours begins is necessary for healthy communication and effective collaboration. The ground rules are in flux when a team is in the middle of a transition. Role clarification is the task that brings resolution to this tension. Structure solves chaos.
Inattention to the impact of change on the workplace
We are not machines. Change is a primary stressor for living things. Like plants and animals, humans respond to the stress of change with dramatic physical and emotional reactions. Our systems are designed to protect the status quo and we all have different capabilities when it comes to adapting. Some teammates need to complain. Others throw all their energy into resistance. A rare few embrace their new circumstances and lead the way forward. Most workplaces must manage the whole spectrum of coping ability. The resisters consume the most energy from the ecosystem. The embracers fuel the movement forward.
These are good problems to have. Whenever a team is forced to process change, anchor mission, and clarify roles, it means the group is evolving. This must be done with intention since the default position is to ignore the impact of growth on team wellness. So, as you focus on winning the race, make sure your shoelaces are tied.
