Outgrow
Baby, grow so fast! Only within 2-3 months, they grow bigger than their clothes. And we need to buy new clothes in a bigger size. My baby does not only outgrow his clothes; he almost too big for his bath up. I need to change it too! My favorite line, 'don't grow too fast.' No matter what I said, he will keep on growing.
Human Growth
For the last 1,5 years, I pack a lot of Marcus's clothes that already too small for him. I pack based on the category of his growth. And I start thinking about human development. We stop growing tall after a certain age. But, we can always grow to the right, to the left, in front and backward; in other words, we can gain weight and still outgrow our clothes.
Human growth is often measured only by height and size. People sometimes forgot that human capacity is also growing. Our mindset, way of thinking, mentality, and maturity can grow limitless as long we want to learn.
People who love to learn will change from time to time. They grow more mature, more wisdom, adapting new thoughts. It is especially easy to get information based on research on what works and what doesn't work anymore.
Organization Clothes
The organization or business is like clothes. Sometimes we outgrow the organization. We seem not fit anymore with that place. Some of the thinking is not suited to us anymore. We grow up there, but at a certain point in life, it doesn't fit.
Imagine like this, do you ever met your childhood friends? You didn't meet up with her for so long - years. She still the same, talk the same thing, think the same thing. And you realize that the way of thinking is not compatible anymore. She was our best friend at that time, but you can't talk at the same level anymore. Of course, you could still be her friends, but differently.
Please don't get me wrong. We could be friends with people and the organization, but at the same time, we are not compatible with the way of thinking. It doesn’t mean we cannot love people who have differences with us.
The option
When we become outgrow, we have two options, and both answers are acceptable. There's no right or wrong answer. It all depends on the situation and your decisions.
Option one: It is okay to leave and change our 'clothes' - organization when it doesn't fit with us anymore. It makes you feel you cannot breathe or move. Because people grow to become the new version, and the company still the same. Some people are busy updating their life, while others are comfortable with who they are. Know your seasons of life. When it's time to move on, then go on. Don't waste your time.
Option two: It is also okay to stay and help grow the organization's 'clothes.' Help them to make an elastic 'clothes' so the organization can be flexible. Another term of this is to make the organization more agile. I imagine the organization wears suits or costumes like Mr. Fantastic (Fantastic Four) or Elasticgirl (The mother in The Incredibles).
So, no matter what the people's mindset grows, the organization will always be flexible and follow the growth. The people could able to breathe and make a move with these suits.
Question?!
How do we know when we are outgrowing the 'clothes' of the organization?
Just like humans, the organization also growing. I'm not talking about the organization's growth by size - by the number of people working within the organization. I'm talking about the growth in the way of thinking, value, culture, work ethic, etc.
For example, I grow up with these jokes, "Rule number 1: Boss is always right. Rule number 2: Look into rule number 1." It means the boss is always right for no matter what. We need to follow their command without asking questions. Even until now, my aunt often makes that jokes when she's talking about the leadership style of people from the baby boomer era.
Sadly, this is not just a joke. This is happening in some workplace culture - it is a typical style. People are 'literally' doing that principle. If someone is asking the boss questions about his decisions, it means you are disrespecting the boss.
This kind of thinking is an outdated belief system or work culture. A lot of people realized that the boss is not always right. The boss also knows that they don't always know the answer, and that's okay. Nowadays, more and more leaders embrace humility in their leadership style. Leaders want to hear input and feedback from the people - even from people that way below their rank.
Angela Ahrednts in Global Leadership Summit 2019, teaches people to listen to those you lead. She is a former SVP of retail at Apple and former CEO of Burberry. She told us that your team is also lead us and guide us. You need to go around your team and listen to them. Apple creates a 'Loop system' to help the team share the ideas. They can tell us what's wrong and what's need to be improved. To ensure the executive leadership hears their team from across the world. The leader talks to them, and people could give the leader feedback.
If you are exposed to the way of leadership style like Angela, but you are working with outdated beliefs, what would you do? You have two options: change your clothes and move to another organization with the same views and values. Or you stay and help the organization to renew the values. Both answers are right depends on your season and the reason you do it.
We as humans could always grow, and as an organization, we could continue to growing too. At the same time, sometimes we outgrow the organization. And, that's normal.
Take out!
Ask ourselves as a human and organization:
When the last time you updated your thought?
Do you still use outdated belief systems and values?
Do you teach your team to update their thinking?
I believe the organization or company can grow bigger when they allowed and encourage their people to grow. And, the people don't have to leave because they outgrew the organization. I prefer that people have to catch the growth of the organization. Makes people want to learn more and found themself be a better version.
When we focus on developing people within our team to grow in mindset, the organization will be growing healthy. Your size and profit will follow.
So, are you ready to grow more?
About the writer
Priscilla RVR is a visionary optimist. She believes in to always start with what you have in your hand. To add value and empower people to be better
