Mighty Tools

Chapter 5: Operational Meltdown

Mighty Tools Chapter 5 Assessment

Operational Meltdown was identified as one of seven growth killers targeting midsized firms in Robert Sher’s book, Mighty Midsized Companies: How Leaders Overcome 7 Silent Growth Killers (Bibliomotion, September 16, 2014)

Chapter 5 describes the silent growth killer and examines the problems of midsized firms that precipitate operational crisis where the business can’t deliver the quality and service that it has in its past. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Determine the melting point of your firm early enough, so you can assess the level of “heat” that is coming, and can make adjustments as needed, BEFORE it is too late.

What follows is an assessment rubric that works effectively for all types of growing midsized firms.

Our company delivers great service and quality at all times, including peak, meeting or exceeding our service level agreements (SLAs).*
We have a detailed, diligent planning process, identifying in writing KPIs for all leadership team members, and key projects with clear milestones. We track progress monthly, and are generally executing to plan.*
Our growth is fairly predictable, and no one customer is a big percentage of the total (and thus, at risk of leaving).*
We are flush with cash, so if we need to spend aggressively to beef up operations, we can.*
How long will it take to build required infrastructure/hire staff if growth keeps coming as expected?*
What percentage of the operations leadership has a year or more experience at the scale the company will experience a year from now?*
Does the CEO have more of a sales background or an operations background?*
Does the company have more of a sales culture or an operations culture? What do they celebrate and focus on more?*
Our growth rate of revenues for the past quarter (as compared to the same quarter a year ago) is:*
The annual sales of our company is:*