Seasons of slow growth (as a business)

I love EOS for many reasons. 

It gives me clarity and control as a leader, and a voice to my team, too. EOS is particularly special for the visionary-type entrepreneurs who have a hard time reeling it in. Having a proven model to follow, where issues are solved and ideas are interrogated, is vital. 

I’ve definitely been caught out before by trying to do too much at once, so I needed the realist-type leaders to challenge my ideas and prioritise them accordingly. 

EOS starts with the 10,000 foot stuff – your vision, values, reason for existing, niche, and 10-year plan. 

Then, you reverse engineer this by drilling down into the three-year plan, one-year goals, 90-day rocks (projects), scorecard, and issues list. This all moves into motion with the Leadership Level 10 Meeting, Department Level 10 Meeting, quarterly offsites, and annual celebration. 

*Grab my Issues List system for free here* 

Why is all of this meaningful? Because with all of this essential stuff in place and with a clear roadmap of where we’re headed, I can accept slow growth if and when the business calls for it. 

Like the CEO season I’m in now. 

I talk more about it here, where I’ve had to take the foot off the gas in terms of my leadership and CEO brand duties, in order to make some important structural changes in the business – as well as sell more houses. 

It’s been quite tough for me, as I’ve been transitioning from technician to visionary over the past couple of years, where my ideal split is 80/20 – 80% in leadership, 20% selling. 

But there are times, like now, when I need to step in to fix structural issues and plug revenue holes, so I find myself selling more (and leading less). After 18 years selling properties, what lights me up is training the sales team to help them level up, rather than me jumping in and selling solo. However, I can do this intentionally and for short sprints when needed. 

Because in order to sling shot into great growth in the future, I’ve needed to spend most of my time reworking the leadership structure and better understanding a part of the business I’m not involved in (with the head of department going on mat leave). 

I’ve spent 80% of my time learning the ins and outs of this department, how it functions, what the team needs, coaching up key staff who are ready to level up, and managing revenue risk. 

I’ve spent 20% on my usual seat – leading the entire team, creative problem solving, high-leverage partnerships, and building my personal brand. 

As such, I’ve had to accept a season of slower growth, in the traditional sense. It’s not a season for big swings or moves. I’m in maintenance and tweaking mode, so when we do grow exponentially again, we’re set up for it. 

It’s important to recognise the season you’re in. Growth isn’t linear. You might have to sprint for three months, followed by nine months of integration. Other years will be full steam ahead. 

Adjust your thinking long-term. Lean on EOS in unstable times. And enjoy the ride. 

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