Have you met the person who is always seeking the next “growth opportunity?” The person who is never satisfied with their results or their company’s results?
There is a concept in the sports world known as the “Disease of More.” This phrase was coined by Pat Riley. Pat was the famous basketball coach of the Los Angeles Lakers and led them to six championships. He said the “Disease of More” was often what explained why a championship team was dethroned from its winning ways.
After winning the championship, the members of the team would want “more”: more money, more endorsements, more accolades, more play time, more attention. . . more, more, more. Consequently, this team of cohesive players broke down and became an entitled toxic mess that ended up failing.
This reminds me of companies or leaders of companies who feel that you either “grow” (i.e., get more) or “die.” My feeling has been that if a company strives to be the best at what it does, then the “more” or growth will come, and it’s not forced. The book Small Giants by Bo Burlingham outlines companies that chose to be great instead of big. The irony is some of the companies outlined in the book do continue to grow larger, but they do so in very intentional ways and not simply for the sake of wanting “more.”
Do you or a company you know have the Disease of More? Your cure may be the tradeoff between building a great company or a big company.
Cheers to growing a great business!
Mike