For those of us with the necessary ruthless streak to tame an abundant garden, the sheer pleasure of seeing the garden blossom better than ever the following year, rather than becoming an over-grown nightmare which dies from the inside out, is more than enough reward.
Organisations that allow rampant growth are at just as much risk of dying the same
lingering death as an overgrown garden, if they lose sight of what made them great in the first place.
If you decide to refocus your organisation, expect a feisty argument from those who think growth at all cost is the only way to go.
Focus means sacrifice because it restricts growth to a highly-select area.
Some managers can't accept this proven way of sustainable growth. As we know from countless management studies, the ability to focus an organisation well is the future.
The best corporate gardeners are leaders who nurture growth by deciding on such a focus, and make concrete plans to get there.
The ultimate odd couple:
Remember what we said about finding revolutionary new ideas through the brainpower of just two people?
We have found that the strongest combination for a refocus exercise, is a hands-on CEO and a focus-savvy designer. Why? Because both are able to concentrate on the future, and not worry about day-to-day management issues.
The CEO brings his business knowledge and vision for the future; the designer brings an in-depth knowledge of positioning and a fresh pair of eyes.
You can see how powerful the exchange of ideas will be by this ultimate odd couple, each driven by their own sphere of influence and desire to inspire, innovate and motivate.
