About this item
Highlights
- An insightful and practical toolkit for managing organizational growth Growing Pains is the definitive guide to the life cycle of an organization, and the optimization strategies that make the organization stronger.
- About the Author: ERIC G. FLAMHOLTZ is president and cofounder of Management Systems Consulting Corporation.
- 400 Pages
- Business + Money Management, Entrepreneurship
Description
Book Synopsis
An insightful and practical toolkit for managing organizational growthGrowing Pains is the definitive guide to the life cycle of an organization, and the optimization strategies that make the organization stronger. Whether growth is rapid, slow, or not occurring at all, this book provides a host of solid tools and recommendations for putting everything in order. Now in its fifth edition, this invaluable guide has been fully updated to reflect the current economic climate, and includes new case studies and chapters discussing nonprofit life cycle tools, leadership challenges and the "leadership molecule", and real-world applications of the frameworks presented. The latest empirical research is presented in the context of these ideas, including new data on strategic organizational development. Mini-cases that illustrate growth management issues have been added throughout, with additional coverage of international entrepreneurship and companies that provide a frame of reference for the perspective being developed.
Growing pains are normal, and a valuable indicator of organizational health, but they indicate the need for new systems, processes, and structure to support the organization's size. This book provides a practical framework for managing the process, applicable to organizations of all sizes.
- Understand the key stages of growth and the challenges of each
- Measure your organization's growing pains and development
- Deploy new tools that facilitate positive organizational development
- Make the necessary transitions required to ensure sustainable success
Some companies, even after brilliant beginnings, lose their way as growth throws them for a loop. Growing Pains identifies the underlying factors that promote long term success, and gives you a framework for successfully managing the transitions of growth.
From the Back Cover
THE CLASSIC RESOURCE AND PRACTICAL TOOLKIT FOR MANAGING ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH!
"The overall purpose of this book is to help readers understand what it takes to continue to grow an organization successfully after a new venture or entrepreneurship has been established. Specifically, it provides a lens or framework and related tools to help people understand how to manage organizational growth successfully at different stages from a start-up to a dominant world-class company like a Starbucks."
--From the Preface
"It was over twenty years ago that I first read Growing Pains and began using the tools and frameworks in my work as an organizational development professional. In Growing Pains, Drs. Flamholtz and Randle provide a step-by-step roadmap for developing any organization's effectiveness. This book provides practical suggestions to address the evolving leadership challenges of organizational growth and every manager will benefit from having this as their go-to resource to help create a high performance company."
--Bryan Lawton, PhD, Chief, Corporate Development, The Doctors Company
"In 50+ years of business experience, we found the most important ingredient to growing shareholder value is the employment of a well-defined management and strategic planning process. After trial and error, the process incorporated in Growing Pains proved our most efficient and effective management system--sending performance in our family business to new heights, year in and year out. Try it, your stakeholders will love it, and it's suitable for any business, regardless of size or shape."
--Tim Carter, Retired CEO of Bell-Carter Foods, Inc.
"I have personally applied the concepts in this book to every nonprofit that I have worked with and managed the transition of each to their next level of growth. Hence, I am especially excited about this edition that includes a new chapter entitled 'Building Sustainably Successful Nonprofits'. I am a true believer that when you marry mission to the principles outlined in Growing Pains, it increases the capacity of nonprofits and their people to do better while doing good. As with all organizations, it is critical for nonprofits to perform at their peak and drive toward sustainable success that ultimately benefits society at large--and Flamholtz and Randle's Growing Pains provides the blueprint for doing exactly that."
--Helen Han, Past President and CEO, National Association of Women Business Owners, Senior Strategist, LeadersUp
"Eric Flamholtz and Yvonne Randle have been instrumental in assisting us in our transition from an entrepreneurial to a professionally managed financial services firm. The framework which Eric has perfected over many years has allowed us to identify systemic challenges in the organization, develop a structure to address them and measure our progress. When I'm asked who I see to ensure my firm's continued healthy development, I tell them that they have provided a practical guide in Growing Pains and I'm just following it!"
--Scott Minerd, Chairman of Investments/Chief Investment Officer, Guggenheim Partners
About the Author
ERIC G. FLAMHOLTZ is president and cofounder of Management Systems Consulting Corporation. He teaches in various Executive Education programs at UCLA's Anderson School of Management, where he is Professor Emeritus. He also teaches Executive Education programs for various universities in China.
YVONNE RANDLE is executive vice president and co-owner of Management Systems Consulting Corporation, where she has been a consultant since 1983. She also lectures at UCLA's Anderson School of Management in various Executive Education programs.
