Six tips for driving growth! From my 9 months old son……

This year is different from other years. After a 11 years period of interim projects & consultancy jobs in marketing & e-commerce at various companies, I started a brand new project in January. My wife was back at her job after maternity leave and I had decided to take care of my son. Being self-employed this meant eating into the savings. Or, another way of looking at it, investing in growth. My son’s growth in this case.

And probably mine as well. Because in our daily routines he has taken over the role I had so many times working for customers. He shows me the right attitude towards change and driving growth. Every single day!

Therefore, please enjoy and benefit from my sons six tips for driving sustainable growth. For yourself, your team or organization.

1.    Be curious, be surprised

Growth is all about exploring. There are no right or wrong decisions or a right path towards your goals. Simply knowing that you want – and need – to grow is enough.

Next? Explore your environment and try things you have never tried before. Be curious what these new things or developments are and find out what they can bring you. Go out there! You will be surprised about all the unbelievable growth opportunities you will discover.

 2.    Be fearless

And yes, new things are often scary. But don’t let the fear for the unknown stop you! To grow means to change. And change comes from doing things differently than you did before. Trying new things, because you know the time is right. To adapt, to take the next step. So be fearless and do whatever is needed. Or be scared and do the exactly the same.

…be fearless and do whatever is needed. Or be scared and do exactly the same!

 3.    Learn to fall, not to stand

One thing is for sure when exploring your world in search for growth, trying new things and changing directions; you are going to fail….. A lot. Sometimes it will hurt. Cry if you want to. It’s all part of it. The best thing to do, is to make sure you learn how to fall. Use frustrations as gasoline to try again. Change your approach. Learn and fall again.

Ensure & embody this attitude within your team or organization and you will see people striving for every long-term goal, step by step.

4.    Laugh a lot!

A good laugh will help coping with stress. It also reduces the feeling of fear, failure and frustration that is inevitably when it comes to change and growth. Create and embody a culture where people enjoy their jobs and working together. Having fun and enjoying the path you’re walking – or crawling in some cases – will be a huge driver for your sustainable growth. Successful businesses are built on people, happy people.

 Successful businesses are built on people, happy people.

 5.    Make sure you’re heard (and be annoying…)

Driving change to achieve growth is not easy. In whatever facility it may be. Within a team, on a personal – or an organizational level. It is always hard work. One of the things that will make the process easier, is to clearly state what you need. And let your stakeholders know. Whoever that may be.

Are you struggling to find out exactly what it is you need? What to focus on or what path to follow? Ask for help, use the experience and knowledge of others.

Don’t forget, keep repeating your message until it comes through. Be annoying when necessary….

6.    Make a mess!

Finally, you want growth? With growth comes chaos! Or the other way around. Please don’t resist, don’t try to clean it. Just learn to love it.

This last one is often the hardest. Embraced by my son but a never-ending growth path for his dad and many others I have worked for and with ;-).

About Bart Ruisch

As an interim manager and digital marketing consultant, I help companies, teams and people thrive in the digital era. Driving growth by helping defining the right direction and taking the next steps. Combining a personal approach, thorough digital & marketing knowledge and almost 15 years of experience with a fact-based, data-driven attitude and a positive mindset.

 “I live in Amsterdam, together with my wife Jana and our son Thomas, who is now 9 months old. You can actually see him exercising tip 4, in the picture above. A shot – well a part of it actually – taken last Christmas by his very talented uncle