Star Performers know September is a great time of year to evaluate the year’s performance, and begin to get a head start on strategic planning for next year. Most organizations will fall in the trap of the “break-fix” cycle – where the squeakiest wheels will get the oil. But how do you know whether you are tackling the right issues for sustainable growth?

Based on James Fischer’s extensive research, an organization or business unit goes through a predictable set of challenges at each stage of growth, and — if ignored — those challenges will cause havoc and haunt them later. As a company grows, it must successfully transition through alternating periods of chaos — overwhelming employees with too much activity or inadequate process, systems or profit design.

Keith McFarland, author of The Breakthrough Company, said it best: “Long-term growth will only happen if the company learns how to operate differently as it grows larger.” An objective facilitator and strategist certified in Stages of Growth can help you:

• gain clarity of where your company is today, and why it may be experiencing specific growth issues
• align your management team which allows issues to be identified and addressed sooner
• review the past, examine today, and look ahead to see what’s creating obstacles to growth
• create a language of growth that will resonate with every single person in the company

What conversations do you need to create in the next few weeks to make sure your strategic plan tackles the most critical issues for your current stage, so you can create sustainable growth?