The Team Who Got You Here Might Not Get You There
One of the quagmires organizations and boards find themselves in is finding the right leader for the right season.
Yesterday’s leader may not be the right leader for the next season. That doesn’t diminish the skills and talents of yesterday’s leader. They just might not have the right skillset for the next season.
Sometimes the issue is not just the leader, but with the team. They may also lack the right skills for the season in which they find themselves.
In my book, Unlikely Good, I describe what I have observed to be three general seasons in which organizations will eventually find themselves:
Entrepreneurial season: the early stage of launching a venture that requires creative vision, high energy, and risk-taking.
Systems season: the stage in which the organization begins to build teams, systems, procedures, and policies that create a consistent and quality product.
Renewal season: the stage that comes after some time of operating where the status quo needs to be questioned and fresh innovation needs to occur to keep the operation from stagnating.
Find People Who Fit the Needs of the Season
Each season requires a particular type of leader and team.
The entrepreneurial season isn’t for everyone. Startup mode is fast-paced, somewhat chaotic, and requires a lot of flexibility. Employees who expect tidy job descriptions with little deviation from assigned duties will probably chafe and grow irritated by a cause that requires everyone to be nimble.
Similarly, the systems season may require an employee who doesn’t thrive on the chaotic energy of the entrepreneurial season. You will likely want employees who value stability and process, as your organization will need both this season.
Quality control in the systems season is usually the result of employees who pay attention to detail.
The renewal season will benefit from people who are willing to question the status quo. Consider individuals who possess a blend of creativity and innovation, as well as a hunger to develop new systems and processes.
You probably don’t want people in the renewal season who are content to keep doing things the way they have always been done.
Think about the difference between those three seasons.
In one season, you need people who can move quickly and take risks. In another, you need people who can create stability and consistency. In another, you need people willing to challenge what has become comfortable and dream again of something better.
None of those people is inherently better or more gifted than the others. Their skills just seem to map best to the needs of a particular season.
If your organization needs to scale for growth, it is a good idea to study the staffing plans of larger organizations. They might give you some indication of what roles you will need to consider as you scale.
Before hiring anyone, assess the organization's current state and determine the kind of person who will best meet the demands of that season.
Do you know what season your organization finds itself in?
Do you have the right leader to navigate that season? If not, how are you addressing it?
What about your team? Do they have the right skills for the current season?
The team who got you here might not get you there.
