Stop asking 'How to Scale' — start asking 'What to Scale'
One of the most common—and annoying—questions I get from leaders at the start of a transformation is: How do we make this scale? Not conceptually, but please draw up a detailed plan and execute scale immediately.
When we have established what we need to scale, we can answer that. I’ll point out that this comes up surprisingly often before we’ve started the engagement or before we’ve done enough discovery to know what problems we need to address, what works in our context and what our future ideal state looks like.
You might be wondering why I’m saying this question is annoying. There are a few reasons:
It’s lazy. It’s a question that involves very little research or reflection, so it’s more stakeholder bingo rather than a genuine question. But it has a profound impact on transformation success.
It assumes that speed is always the top priority. But moving fast is not all that helpful if you don’t know which direction you should be moving in!
Trying to get everyone to make major changes at the same time is often more costly and chaotic than starting on a small scale, understanding what works, and making incremental adjustments based on what you learn before scaling the solution.
The two-timeline hurdle
Of course, there are essentially two timelines when it comes to transformation. There’s the “long-term” timeline of around 18+ months, when we might expect to see broader changes and outcomes on an organisational level.
And there’s also the shorter-term timeline of proving the value of your transformation (which you’re often expected to deliver within three to six months).
But you can’t achieve much in that longer-term timeline if you haven’t set realistic expectations for what’s possible within the shorter one.
Where to start: The imperative to experiment
Here’s an important lesson I’ve learned from my work as a transformation coach and consultant: You shouldn’t try to scale before you’ve experimented. You need to learn what works first and make iterations.
If you try to roll out change with everyone at once, it’s chaotic and costly.
Instead, start by understanding where you are today, figuring out what your ideal future state looks like, and conducting hands-on pilot experiments to apply that in practice. Inevitably, you will need to iterate and adjust these new approaches. Then you can consider how to scale.
Better questions to ask than “How do we make this scale?”
I’ve already mentioned that I take issue with the question, “How do we make this scale?” Before you (or the coach/consultant you’ve hired) can answer that question accurately, you’ll need to take a closer look at the following factors:
Where are you today?
What are your goals?
What needs to be addressed?
How does that best work in your context?
What’s the size of your organisation?
Do you need to build out a new function or discipline, like product management?
Will this transformation involve a significant culture/mindset shift, or are people mostly there already?
What are the current capabilities of your team? For example, making the change from “product owners” or “business owners” to “product managers” involves much more than a change in job titles. And if you are making such a change, are you planning to upskill your existing team members or hire new people who already have these skills?
How do people collaborate and make decisions? What ways of working, collaboration structures and incentives need to change to facilitate that?
What type of leadership mindset shift will be required? Are you (and other leaders) ready to coach, manage by outcomes, and stop asking for outputs? Are you ready to align with cross-functional goals?
What this means for you
Answering the questions above will give you an idea of the scale of effort required to make a successful transformation. And this information can help you gauge how long it’s likely to take.
Yes, it’s critical to show value quickly, but it isn’t the same as being ready to scale from the start. Transformation means shifting from a project to a product mindset, and that includes the way you think about the transformation itself. Stop thinking in terms of Gantt charts and set deliverables. Start thinking about the desired outcomes, the current context, and small experiments that can help you achieve them through continuous improvement.
While you can—and should—expect to see value, understand that it might look different from your early expectations.
Need help navigating the complexities of transformation? Get in touch to learn how Northshore Studio can help!
