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A transition metaphor
By Art McNeil CEO
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Like expert jazz groups, successful small and medium sized companies create sweet music because a limited number of key players are motivated by the founder’s vision. They know the team’s strengths and its limitations, cover for each other, are experts at shooting from the hip, changing direction on the fly, and multi-tasking—in short, they are willing and capable of doing whatever it takes to win the approval of their audience. |
But when they start adding new people, the freewheeling style that propelled them to success, starts creating performance problems. Serious problems usually start showing up between 5 and 25 million in sales. Failures are often the result of; poor cash management (it takes more money and better planning to supply an orchestra), undisciplined hiring, and a reliance on personal power rather than disciplined process. Because there is seldom a comprehensive induction routine, the group’s vision, values and operating methods remain trapped in the heads of the leader and the original team.
Jazz bands and smaller companies are capable of gaining huge audience appeal—provided they remain small. The decision to grow means letting go of the entrepreneurial (seat of the pants) methods that made them successful—growth should not be taken lightly. Founders who can’t get out of their own way once their company starts growing become an impediment rather than an asset.
Unlike their free wheeling jazz counterparts, musicians in large groups follow a prearranged score. Playing in an orchestra demands absolute compliance to written music. The conductor can’t allow members to blow, bow, or drum out spontaneous licks whenever the spirit moves them. Conductors demand that each position play exactly what has been written for them. In a large orchestra, collaboration fosters passion and pride, even though individual assignments may not always be challenging or exciting. The composer, conductor and each musician has a specific role to play—and they trust colleagues to play their assigned part.
Many talented jazz musicians would never make it in a larger group because they are either unwilling or incapable of adhering to a written score. Growth seeking CEOs and managers must learn to read and write the business equivalent of a musical score—process. Employees must be taught to follow process, play their assigned parts well and alert management when they or others are not being compliant. The CEOs primary responsibility is to ensure that audiences remain delighted with what is being played and that the needs of all partners (internal, external, and funding) will be met now and in the future.
How to take your company to the next level.