Organizational Complexity
As you bring on more people in your organization, more human relationships will naturally form. By adding one more person, the level of complexity grows geometrically not arithmetically. It is not a 1:1 relationship. A company with just 12 people has 66 potential lines of communication.
Growing from just three employees to four DOUBLES the number of potential relationships!
The thought that increasing people will reduce your workload and simplify / speed the growth of your Company is a potential misnomer. As well, not all new people make it and what may have been missed during the recruiting phase is culture fit. One rotten apple, right? This image illustrates the impact that negative people can have on a Company. Having a bigger team can create more complex problems than what you had with a smaller organization due simply due to the increase in human relationships.
This galvanizes the important of having core values, unobstructed vision and a consistent and effective Meeting Rhythm in place!
How often is your team meeting?
Some of the best, fast-growth firms that enjoy high-levels of financial performance, communication, clarity of goals, and accountability live by the daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual rhythm. There is ample content online on this topic, the simple truth is that Companies that subscribe to this do better!
If you have not read or listened to the book, Scaling Up by Verne Harnish. Meeting rhythm and other mission-critical entrepreneurial learnings are also included. To me, this book is a must read for every Entrepreneur!
How do you help to solve for the “People Piece”?
It all starts with having a solid recruiting process!
“Hire slow, fire fast” is something we have all heard about, is that what happens in your Company?
Not everyone makes it through SEAL Training, not every employee should make it through your 30-60-90-day onboarding program. Do you have a process, it is calendared or is it Ad Hoc?
Do you have the courage to share this up front with candidates during the interview process, when the job offer is presented, and on their first day of work?
Control what you can control.
- Multi-step recruiting process – involve your team.
- Clear performance expectations laid out up-front.
- 30-60-90-day onboarding with reviews at each stage.
- Meeting rhythm that you commit and stick to.
Organizational Complexity exists, as you add people this is reality. Whether it hurts or helps your Company can be controlled!