Growth Ideas #7: Why?

Many times, I think people get tired of hearing about the “need to grow.” I understand that and have felt that way myself at times. But then I think of the “Why,” “The Cause,” “The Purpose.”

For some people, the “Why” behind growing is to make more money. Pure and simple. And, let’s be honest, there’s nothing wrong with that at all. No less of a business thinker than Peter Drucker said, “The purpose of business is to make a profit.” As an economic engine for families, communities and entire societies, making more money is a good and beneficial thing. We’ve all heard that “the best things in life are free.” Nice sentiment but not really true. Food isn’t free. Healthcare isn’t free. Mortgage payments don’t just happen. People need money to live and money comes from business profits; therefore, profit is a healthy and good thing.

However, let’s imagine that your business does something even more important just make money. Suppose you have a noble cause like curing cancer, feeding the hungry, eliminating River Blindness, or putting people to work. In that case (as in ours), the more your grow you not only make more money but you also increase the positive impact of the company on society. It means more research into cancer cures. It means more people fed. More good people get good jobs. And so on.

Growing is about multiplying success. I just comes down to how you personally define success.