Posts Tagged ‘Small Giants’

Entrepreneurs: Beware of Boredom

Wednesday, August 29th, 2012 by Troy Schrock

It is not uncommon for entrepreneurs to get bored when their organizations mature to a certain size.  Management becomes procedural, the business is humming, and life becomes all too routine and mundane.  Entrepreneurs can find this environment stifling.

Unfortunately, the reflexive urge is to engage in behaviors that may be destructive to the very existence of the organizations they started.  They pursue growth, jump into other executives’ domains, launch new ventures, or invest in other businesses – anything to break up the new monotony.  These moves aren’t always bad, but only if approached strategically.  They should not be done merely as desperate reaches for something different.

In starting his second restaurant, Union Square Hospitality Group founder Danny Meyer said, “[The first restaurant] was a great canvas, but I needed a new place to express my creativity.  I didn’t think I should alter a successful restaurant because I was restless.  I didn’t have to get all of my ideas into one place.” (as quoted in Small Giants by Bo Burlingham)

Restless entrepreneurs can learn from Meyer’s recognition.  Proper channeling of creative energy can lead to good results for the initial enterprise as well as any new ventures that may arise.

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An Important Reason to Grow

Monday, January 31st, 2011 by Troy Schrock

Contrary to what one might assume, not all business leaders want to grow their businesses.  Bo Burlingham highlighted this line of thinking in his book Small Giants (read additional thoughts from Bo on the subject).  Within this group of CEOs, however, are those who choose to grow their businesses anyway, but for a unique reason.

Great organizations, no matter how large or small, are driven by great people.  But the same qualities that make these people great engender a yearning for bigger and better things – personal growth, if you will.  How does a “small giant” of an organization continue to provide opportunities for its talent to grow?  Well, it has to grow. 

In preparation for an article in the 2011 CEO Advantage Journal, I had the pleasure of sitting down with two successful CEOs who have chosen to grow specifically so that their employees can grow without leaving the company.  In “Growing Your People,” John Gongos and John Hiltz talk about how they came to this decision and how they have strategically approached it.  I encourage you to read their comments.

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