Welcome to The Growth System, the podcast that rethinks the way businesses approach B2B growth. Each week, we dive into a common organizational challenge or pattern that’s stalling growth in many companies. But here’s the twist—we re-examine these issues through the powerful lens of systems thinking. By connecting the dots between different parts of your business, we uncover deeper insights and actionable solutions you can implement to accelerate growth. Whether you're part of a growth team, a leader, or someone who just wants to think differently about scaling, The Growth System offers a fresh, strategic approach to help your business thrive. Tune in and start optimizing the way you grow—one system at a time.
The Growth System is bought to you by rev.space, an applied growth consultancy connects B2B organisations with the future of growth with consultancy, education and delivery services.
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Innovative Solutions for Effective Budgeting
Season 1 · Episode 9
Tuesday, November 19, 2024 • Duration 01:05:00
Summary
In this episode, Colin and Chris explore the traditional budgeting process and its limitations, emphasising the need for a systems thinking approach. They discuss how conventional budgeting practices often yield unrealistic numbers, create silos within organisations, and focus excessively on cost control rather than fostering growth. The conversation highlights the importance of aligning budgeting with organisational health and strategic vision, and suggests innovative solutions such as agile budgeting and decentralised decision-making to enhance effectiveness and adaptability. This conversation explores innovative approaches to budgeting, emphasising agile methodologies, rolling forecasts, and value-driven strategies. The speakers discuss the importance of fostering communication across departments, balancing efficiency with adaptability, and the role of technology and data in modern budgeting practices. They also highlight the significance of aligning budgets with company vision and values, and the potential of predictive modeling to enhance decision-making processes.
Takeaways
Traditional budgeting methods are often unrealistic and ineffective.
Budgeting should reflect an organisation's health and priorities.
The budgeting process creates competitive silos rather than collaboration.
Budgeting is often viewed as a cost-control exercise rather than a growth enabler.
Measurement myopia leads to neglect of intangible factors like morale and innovation.
The annual budgeting cycle is inflexible and outdated.
Decentralised budgeting can foster collaboration and responsiveness.
Organisations need to pivot quickly to market changes with agile budgeting.
Budgeting decisions have far-reaching consequences across departments.
A systems thinking approach can improve budgeting outcomes. Agile budgeting fosters better communication and understanding across departments.
Rolling forecasts allow for more responsive budgeting based on current realities.
Data-driven insights should guide budgeting decisions for better outcomes.
Value-driven budgeting aligns resources with corporate strategy and priorities.
Balancing efficiency with adaptability is crucial for resilience in budgeting.
The 70-20-10 model encourages innovation and flexibility in budget allocation.
Empowering individuals to make decisions enhances organisational agility.
Zero-based budgeting helps eliminate unnecessary expenses and promotes accountability.
Aligning budgets with company vision ensures strategic coherence.
Predictive modelling can mitigate risks associated with budgeting changes.
Chapters
00:00 Rethinking Budgets: A Systems Approach
11:48 The Challenges of Traditional Budgeting
24:06 The Impact of Budgeting on Organizational Health
33:56 Innovative Budgeting Solutions for Growth
35:37 Fostering Communication Across Departments
36:06 Agile Budgeting: Navigating the Journey
38:01 Rolling Forecasts and Data-Driven Insights
39:52 Value-Driven Budgeting: Aligning Resources with Strategy
40:53 Balancing Efficiency and Adaptability
41:56 Innovation in Budgeting: The 70-20-10 Model
44:06 Empowerment and Holistic Thinking in Budgeting
45:00 The Importance of Flexibility in Budgeting
46:57 Zero-Based Budgeting: A Fresh Perspective
49:10 Strategic Alignment in Budgeting
51:09 R&D and Innovation: Budgeting for the Future
52:06 Best Practices for Agile Budgeting
53:05 Feedback Mechanisms and Transparency
55:57 Technology and Data in Modern Budgeting
58:12 Aligning Budget with Company Vision
01:00:00 Predictive Modeling in Budgeting
Rethinking Sales Targets in B2B Growth
Season 1 · Episode 8
Tuesday, November 12, 2024 • Duration 58:07
Summary
In this episode of The Growth System, Colin and Chris delve into the complexities of sales targets within the B2B landscape. They explore the purpose of sales targets, the process of setting them, and the often arbitrary nature of these targets. The conversation highlights the negative impact of sales targets on performance, the short-term focus they create, and the bad behaviours they can encourage among sales teams. Additionally, they discuss the relationship between sales targets and compensation plans, emphasising the need for a more holistic approach to sales performance measurement. In this conversation, Colin and Chris explore the complexities of sales targets, emphasising the need for a systematic approach to goal setting. They discuss the pitfalls of a revenue-focused mindset, the importance of customer success, and the detrimental effects of aggressive sales tactics on employee well-being and customer relationships. The dialogue culminates in a call for a more holistic view of performance metrics, advocating for a shift from traditional sales targets to a focus on systematic processes that drive sustainable growth.
Takeaways
Sales targets are often arbitrary and not based on reality.
The process of setting sales targets is typically reverse engineered from desired outcomes.
Sales targets can create a short-term focus that hampers long-term growth.
Sales targets may lead to bad behaviors among salespeople, such as discounting.
There is a disconnect between sales targets and actual market conditions.
Sales targets are entrenched in the culture of B2B sales but may need reevaluation.
Compensation plans should align with long-term goals rather than just hitting targets.
Sales targets can negatively impact profitability and brand reputation.
Sales teams often focus on net new logos at the expense of existing accounts.
A systems thinking approach is necessary for effective sales target setting. Revenue focus can overshadow the importance of customer success.
Sales targets often neglect the full spectrum of revenue sources.
A systematic view of sales targets can reveal underlying issues.
Aggressive sales tactics can lead to employee burnout and turnover.
From Wells Fargo to Apple: Lessons in Setting Metrics
Season 1 · Episode 7
Tuesday, November 5, 2024 • Duration 52:04
Summary
In this episode of The Growth System, Colin and Chris delve into the critical role of metrics in B2B growth, emphasising the need for careful consideration in their application. They discuss the potential dangers of misguided metrics, illustrated through real-world examples like Wells Fargo and the Cobra Effect. The conversation highlights the importance of aligning metrics with long-term strategic goals, advocating for a balance between quantitative and qualitative measures. The hosts also explore how to create a culture focused on customer delight, ensuring that metrics serve as tools for achieving broader organisational objectives rather than becoming the end goal themselves. In this conversation, Chris and Colin explore the complexities of organisational metrics, decision-making, and the importance of aligning goals across departments. They discuss the need for a culture of psychological safety to empower employees in customer service roles, the dangers of short-termism in goal setting, and the significance of understanding feedback loops within complex systems. The discussion also highlights various systems archetypes that can lead to complacency and misalignment, ultimately stressing the importance of a long-term vision for sustainable organisational health.
Takeaways
Metrics can have harmful side effects if not carefully managed.
Goodhart's Law illustrates the pitfalls of over-relying on metrics.
The Cobra Effect shows how well-intentioned metrics can backfire.
Qualitative metrics can provide deeper insights than purely quantitative ones.
Setting goals with a long-term focus increases chances of success.
Decoupling inputs and outputs helps in understanding performance issues.
Customer delight should be a holistic goal, not just a metric.
Cultural values can drive better outcomes than strict metrics.
Metrics should be tools for strategy execution, not the strategy itself.
Creating a culture of psychological safety enhances customer focus. Empowering employees leads to better customer service outcomes.
Psychological safety fosters a culture of customer positivity.
Long-term measurement of outputs is crucial for success.
Escaping the Set and Forget Process Trap
Season 1 · Episode 6
Tuesday, October 29, 2024 • Duration 51:20
Summary
In this episode of The Growth System, Colin and Chris delve into the organisational trap of 'set and forget' processes, particularly in the context of automation. They discuss the mindset issues that lead to complacency in organisations, the importance of process discovery, and the need for a systems thinking approach to optimise processes. The conversation highlights the challenges of reductionism in process design and emphasises the necessity for holistic optimisation and democratisation of automation resources. Practical steps for continuous improvement are also outlined, providing listeners with actionable insights to enhance their organisational processes. In this conversation, Chris and Colin delve into the intricacies of systems mapping and process improvement. They discuss the importance of understanding interconnections within systems, the need for continuous improvement, and the significance of stakeholder collaboration. The dialogue emphasises a holistic approach to process design, focusing on flexibility, leverage points, and the emergent behaviour of systems. The speakers advocate for a mindset shift from siloed thinking to cross-functional collaboration to drive meaningful change and optimise overall system performance.
Takeaways
Organisations often fall into a 'set and forget' mindset.
A task mindset limits the potential for process improvement.
Complacency and lack of urgency hinder transformation efforts.
Discovery of processes is often neglected in organisations.
80% of automation opportunities go unidentified.
Processes should be viewed as dynamic parts of a system.
Feedback loops are crucial for process optimisation.
Reductionism can obscure the bigger picture in process design.
Holistic optimisation is necessary to avoid unintended consequences.
Democratising automation resources can accelerate improvement efforts. System form can take many forms, including API connections and human interactions.
Understanding the function of interconnections is key to process design.
Mapping systems requires recognising dependencies and contingencies.
Emergent behaviour of systems must be analysed for true performance insights.
How to avoid the allure of the shiny object when setting your strategy
Season 1 · Episode 5
Tuesday, October 22, 2024 • Duration 46:09
Summary
In this episode of The Growth System, Colin and Chris explore the phenomenon of shiny object syndrome in B2B companies, discussing how organisations can be seduced by new trends and technologies that may not align with their core competencies. They analyse Cisco's acquisition of the Flip video camera and GE's ambitious Predix platform, highlighting the strategic missteps and failures that resulted from a lack of purpose-driven strategy and poor decision-making frameworks. The conversation emphasises the importance of systems thinking in navigating complex business environments and avoiding costly mistakes.
Takeaways
Shiny object syndrome can lead to strategic failures.
Purpose-driven strategy should guide decision-making.
Cisco's acquisition of Flip was a significant misstep.
GE's Predix platform struggled due to complexity.
Companies must align new initiatives with core competencies.
Bounded rationality can cloud decision-making.
Effective goal setting is crucial for success.
Agility is essential for internal startups.
Information sharing helps teams stay on track.
Systems thinking is vital for managing complexity.
Chapters
00:00 Navigating Shiny Object Syndrome in B2B
04:05 Cisco's Flip Video Camera Acquisition: A Cautionary Tale
22:17 GE's Predix: Ambition Meets Reality
34:31 Bridging the Strategy to Execution Gap
How Thinking in Systems Can Unlock Sales and Marketing Alignment
Season 1 · Episode 4
Tuesday, October 15, 2024 • Duration 55:32
Summary
In this episode, Colin and Chris delve into the critical issue of sales and marketing alignment within B2B organisations. They explore the superficial nature of many alignment efforts, the significant costs associated with misalignment, and the impact of buyer journeys on organisational performance. The conversation emphasises the importance of technology, organisational culture, and clear goals in achieving true alignment. They also discuss the systems view of misalignment, identifying sources of the problem, and strategies for driving alignment, ultimately highlighting the need for a culture of collaboration and effective communication.
Takeaways
Sales and marketing alignment is often superficial.
Misalignment can cost organisations significantly.
The buyer journey is complex and often misunderstood.
Technology can help bridge the gap between teams.
Organisational culture plays a crucial role in alignment.
Misalignment often starts at the board level.
Clear goals and metrics are essential for alignment.
Removing goal conflict can enhance performance.
Access to timely information is critical for decision-making.
A culture of collaboration is necessary for true alignment.
Sound Bites
"What does real sales and marketing alignment look like?"
"Superficial alignment masks a deeper disconnect."
"Misalignment costs money and opportunity."
Chapters
00:00 Understanding Sales and Marketing Alignment
03:07 The Cost of Misalignment
05:54 The Impact of Buyer Journeys
08:51 The Role of Technology in Alignment
12:04 The Importance of Organizational Culture
Can systems theory save us from the perils of the MQL?
Season 1 · Episode 3
Tuesday, October 8, 2024 • Duration 50:49
Summary
In this episode, Colin and Chris delve into the contentious topic of Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs), exploring their definition, origins, and the myriad issues they present in B2B organisations. They discuss the friction between sales and marketing teams, the identity crisis of MQLs, and the systemic problems that arise from poorly defined metrics. The conversation shifts towards potential solutions, emphasising the importance of a clear qualification framework, the need for alignment between sales and marketing, and the value of layering data to create more meaningful MQLs. The episode concludes with key takeaways and a call to action for organisations to rethink their approach to MQLs.
Takeaways
MQLs often create friction between sales and marketing teams.
There is no universal definition of an MQL, leading to confusion.
Not all MQLs are created equal; some are more valuable than others.
The relationship between sales and marketing is crucial for growth.
MQLs can become a vanity metric if not properly defined.
A clear qualification framework is essential for effective MQLs.
Layering data can enhance the quality of MQLs.
Organizations should measure MQLs at an account level, not just contact level.
Setting realistic targets can prevent manipulation of MQL metrics.
Content strategy should align with MQL definitions to ensure quality leads.
Sound Bites
"Do MQLs get a bad rap?"
"MQLs often feel like the front line of battle."
"MQLs are the corporate equivalent of a sports day medal."
Chapters
00:00 The MQL Debate Begins
03:02 Defining MQLs and Their Origins
06:14 The Problems with MQLs
Systems Explained: The Interconnected World of B2B Growth
Season 1 · Episode 2
Tuesday, October 1, 2024 • Duration 25:34
Summary
In this inaugural episode of The Growth System podcast, hosts Colin and Chris delve into the concept of systems thinking and its critical relevance to B2B growth. They explore what constitutes a system, the importance of understanding systems in organisational contexts, and how systems thinking can provide valuable tools for growth professionals. The discussion also clarifies the distinctions between systems thinking, systems dynamics, and systems engineering, emphasising the necessity of a holistic approach to navigate the complexities of modern business environments.
Takeaways
Systems thinking is essential for understanding B2B growth.
A system is defined by its interconnected elements and emergent properties.
Growth teams often operate as subsystems within larger organizational systems.
Understanding systems can help identify and solve organizational inefficiencies.
Reductionism can hinder effective problem-solving in complex systems.
Systems thinking provides a framework for navigating business complexities.
The distinction between systems thinking and systems dynamics is crucial for application.
Systems engineering focuses on the development of non-human systems.
Holistic views are necessary to align the purposes of different subsystems.
The podcast aims to explore practical applications of systems thinking in real-world scenarios.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Systems Thinking in B2B Growth
03:22 Defining Systems and Their Importance
07:30 The Relevance of Systems Thinking for Growth Professionals
14:02 Distinguishing Systems Thinking from Related Concepts
24:46 Conclusion and Future Topics
The Growth System: Teaser
Season 1 · Episode 1
Tuesday, September 24, 2024 • Duration 07:11
Summary
In this episode of The Growth System podcast, hosts Colin and Chris introduce their focus on B2B growth through a systems thinking lens. They discuss the need for a new podcast, the importance of understanding systems thinking, and the organisational challenges faced by growth teams. The conversation highlights the significance of alignment between sales and marketing, and the potential pitfalls of neglecting systems thinking in business operations.
Takeaways
The podcast aims to explore B2B growth through systems thinking.
Systems thinking can reveal surprising solutions to common challenges.
Understanding what constitutes a system is crucial for growth teams.
The discussion will include both the merits and drawbacks of MQLs.
Sales and marketing alignment is a recurring theme in growth discussions.
Cautionary tales of systems thinking failures will be shared.
The hosts promise practical solutions to organizational issues.
Metrics and process design will be key topics in future episodes.
Listeners are encouraged to engage with the content and apply insights.
The podcast will launch on October 1st, focusing on systems thinking.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to The Growth System Podcast
02:04 Understanding Systems Thinking
04:03 Exploring Organizational Challenges
05:52 The Importance of Alignment in Growth Teams
Keywords
B2B growth, systems thinking, growth teams, organizational challenges, alignment, metrics, process design, marketing, sales
Longer sales cycles require different approaches to goal setting.
Customer satisfaction improves when aggressive targets are removed.
Sales targets should align with the overall business strategy.
Setting process-focused goals can drive better outcomes.
Understanding the history of sales targets can inform better practices.
A holistic view of performance metrics is essential for growth.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Sales Targets and Systems Thinking
03:03 The Purpose and Nature of Sales Targets
06:09 The Process of Setting Sales Targets
08:50 The Arbitrary Nature of Sales Targets
12:12 The Impact of Sales Targets on Sales Performance
14:55 Short-Term Focus and Its Consequences
18:01 Sales Targets and Bad Behaviors
21:10 The Relationship Between Sales Targets and Compensation Plans
23:49 Conclusion and Future Considerations
30:05 The Revenue Focus Dilemma
33:05 Systems Thinking in Sales Targets
40:59 Rethinking Sales Targets
49:54 The Case for Systematic Goal Setting
Goal conflict often arises from siloed departmental metrics.
Composite metrics can obscure true organisational health.
Negative feedback loops can lead to business collapse.
Understanding feedback loops is essential in systems thinking.
Causal loop diagrams can visualise complex interactions.
Metrics should support strategic objectives, not overshadow them.
A long-term vision is vital for operational health.
Chapters
00:00 The Importance of Metrics in B2B Growth
02:59 Understanding the Dangers of Misguided Metrics
06:13 The Cobra Effect: Unintended Consequences of Metrics
09:06 Metrics as Tools for Strategy Execution
12:01 The Role of Qualitative Metrics in Business
14:56 How to Set Effective Metrics
18:05 Creating a Culture of Customer Delight
27:03 Empowering Decision-Making in Customer Service
29:14 The Importance of Holistic Goal Alignment
32:45 Understanding Organizational Complexity and Feedback Loops
36:33 Systems Thinking: Archetypes and Their Implications
41:55 Metrics: Tools for Good or Forces for Evil?
43:30 Long-Term Vision vs. Short-Term Metrics
Continuous improvement should not lead to constant changes without understanding the impacts.
Whole system optimisation is crucial for effective process improvement.
Flexibility in processes allows for adaptation as business needs evolve.
Identifying leverage points can maximise the impact of automation efforts.
Cross-functional collaboration enhances understanding and efficiency in processes.
A human-centred approach to process design is essential for meaningful change.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Set and Forget Trap
02:56 Mindset and Complacency in Organizations
06:02 The Importance of Process Discovery
08:50 Systems Thinking and Feedback Loops
12:03 The Role of Automation in Process Improvement
15:07 Challenges of Reductionism in Process Design
18:07 The Need for Holistic Process Optimization
20:58 Democratization of Automation Resources
24:03 Practical Steps for Continuous Improvement
28:39 Understanding Interconnections in Systems
31:51 Reimagining Processes Through Systems Mapping
33:18 Continuous Improvement and Information Access
36:36 Whole System Optimization
38:31 Building Flexibility into Processes
40:45 Identifying Leverage Points for Automation
42:47 Cross-Functional Collaboration for Process Improvement
14:58 Identifying Sources of Misalignment
17:56 The Systems View of Misalignment
20:49 Strategies for Driving Alignment
24:02 The Role of Goals and Metrics
27:04 Leveraging Information for Better Decisions
29:54 Creating a Culture of Collaboration
32:49 Final Thoughts on Alignment
09:03 The Identity Crisis of MQLs
12:02 The Relationship Between Sales and Marketing
