The science and art of growth

To continually expand you need to balance your internal and external capabilities.

Or another way to frame it, sustainable growth requires hard skills (external capabilities) and soft skills (internal capabilities).

The external drivers, the things that are synonymous with growth are hard skills such as marketing and sales tactics, business strategy, data, and technology. The internal drivers, what I consider the art of growth are the soft skills -- mindset and wellness which include confidence, ability to preserve, wellness, quality relationships, and interpersonal skills. Especially in financial services, we tend to focus only or mostly on the hard skills -- we overvalue our (and others) technical capabilities. By overcompensating hard skills or technical skills we limit our ability to impact, implement and sustain change.

This balance between your externals and internal capabilities or hard and soft skills is important for individuals, teams, and businesses. I teach my clients about the growth hierarchy, the essentials to sustainable and effective growth. Below is an overview, which outlines the inputs at each phase and the expected outcomes. The point is, you and your team can't execute effectively over time without foundational motivation, which exists in all of us but has to be nurtured and guided to fuel sustainable growth.

As business owners, we are driven to act (strategy and tactics). As humans, we need the motivation to sustain the activities needed to grow. We get that motivation by taking care of ourselves, learning and growing, and connecting with ourselves and others.

If you have hit a ceiling and are doing all the "right" things from a business perspective it may be time to take a look at your internal capabilities. Are you taking care of yourself? Are you investing in quality time with your relationships? Are you listening or just doing?

If you've lost your internal motivation then you should prioritize self-care and development as one of your growth activities. Invest time in something you love, do something every day that makes you proud, consider activities outside of yourself that bring you joy like community service or developing a practice of gratitude. Without motivation and the internal drivers, your growth potential will be limited and difficult.

Figure out how you can "work hard and play hard" to grow and enjoy the ride.