The Key to Growth
- Rakhee Verma
- Jun 2
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 16
“Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.” – John F. Kennedy
‘Growth’ is currently one of the most overused buzzwords in business and politics. It has successfully won (and lost) elections, and secured the rise (and fall) of many prominent business leaders. Overused, as I say, but still largely misunderstood. Achieving growth for most organisations feels elusive and difficult. (“Rejoin the Customs Union”, I hear you cry! That’s an article for another time.)
From my first job in sales to leading sales, business development, marketing and communication functions globally, my focus has been on growth. Whether an increase in revenues, market share or engagement, most businesses aim to grow in some way.
So what is preventing so many from achieving it? Here’s what I’ve learned about what truly drives - and blocks - growth inside organisations. Trigger warning: A few hard truths in here.
1. Poor Leadership Is the Ultimate Bottleneck
No strategic overhaul, goal setting, or rebrand will fix what poor leadership can undermine. We all have experience of working with ineffective or insecure leaders who - often unintentionally - slow progress - or put obstacles in the way of growth. They might avoid difficult decisions - dealing with poor performance or behaviour adequately - cling to outdated ways of working, or fail to empower others. Growth requires a clear vision and leadership that is courageous and open to challenge. Without it, your best ideas are not being considered or implemented.
When was the last time you acted on one of your employees’ feedback? Or successfully implemented a new growth idea that required making changes to an incumbent way of working?
2. Adapt or Perish
HG Wells reminded us in 1945 that change is inevitable. If a business has been operating successfully for a time, comfort and complacency is its biggest threat. Some organisations say they want to grow, but what they mean is to stay the same while getting better results. Change doesn’t have to be revolutionary or extreme, but something usually needs to be adapted.
Digital reluctance, outdated communication habits, or simply refusing to engage with changing employee or client expectations—these are all common obstacles. Growth takes willingness to embrace new tools and new thinking.
When did you last update your SWOT analysis? How well are you researching and embracing the technologies reshaping your industry, such as AI?
3. Sales and Business Development Have Changed—Radically
One of the biggest shifts I’ve seen over the past two decades is how growth is achieved through sales and business development. The old-school “numbers game” approach—chasing leads, measuring volume over value, and cold outreach with little context—is no longer effective. Today, the sales process is deeply intertwined with brand, trust, and reputation.
Business development is about nurturing relationships (soft skills), offering insight (expertise and content), and being known for something that matters (brand). Clients are informed and more sophisticated. They’re selective and looking for meaningful expert-led connections. Don’t believe the hype - the business people of this country have not had enough of experts.
How clearly can everyone in your business (from reception staff to directors) clearly articulate your brand and vision? What’s your plan for building trust to increase inbound leads this year?
4. Strategy Separates Progress from Busyness
If you’re working hard and still not getting ahead, it’s usually down to a lack of a clear strategy, or one that your leadership team or organisation is not united behind. A unifying and actionable strategy brings organisations and teams together around a shared vision and set of outcomes. It provides a plan; specific actions and milestones; and a way of measuring progress and success that everyone is signed up to. Don’t inflict goals on people.
Lack of a clear strategy happens for a myriad of reasons. The day job doesn’t allow for any time to think strategically; misaligned teams or conflicts are preventing the strategy from being agreed on; or you’re simply out of ideas…this isn’t a dig. It happens to the best of us.
Still talking about the leadership retreat or away day? Book it. Strategy needs space—and commitment. CFO still not getting on with CTO? Find an independent person to help navigate a way through.
5. Systems and Structure Are Growth Enablers
I’ve worked with multiple clients, who had a great business idea, grew quickly and then reached a plateau, because when you dig into the systems, infrastructure and processes…they’re aren’t any.
Let’s not be too harsh. A great idea or product will usually sell if it’s rooted in what the market is asking for, but eventually, without clear processes, growth will grind to a halt.
Or your processes may have served you well for the first stage of your evolution, but seem to be buckling under the pressure of your success. Clear processes built around successful modelling of operational and customer journeys save time, reduce friction, improve accountability, and make it easier to scale.
When was the last time you reviewed your internal processes? Are they still fit-for-purpose?
6. Culture Undermines or Accelerates Every Strategy
An organisation’s culture can amplify or sabotage every effort to grow. I’ve seen growth plans unravel not because they were flawed, but because people didn’t believe in them—or in each other. That’s why leadership development, honest communication, and conflict resolution are core considerations of your growth plan. I encourage my clients to be bold about tackling their obstacles to progress, rather than avoiding the discomfort.
How does your culture support your goals? How well placed are you to work through challenges or obstacles as a team?
7. Get Rich or DEI Trying
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives are often viewed through a moral or compliance lens, but they are also powerful drivers of business growth. Companies that prioritise DEI tend to outperform their peers financially and are more adaptable to change.
Research indicates that diverse teams are more innovative and make better decisions:
McKinsey: Companies in the top quartile for ethnic diversity are 33% more likely to outperform on profitability.
Gender-diverse leadership teams? 21% more profitable.
Boston Consulting Group found that diverse leadership teams drive 19% more innovation revenue.
And Deloitte says inclusive companies are 6x more likely to be innovative and 8x more likely to achieve better business outcomes.
Additionally, inclusive companies are better at attracting and retaining top talent, which is crucial for sustained growth. Organisations that integrate DEI into their core strategies are more likely to tap into new markets and meet the needs of a diverse customer base.
How well does DEI reflect in your leadership pipeline, supplier base, and customer insight process? Or is it still confined to HR policies and awareness days?
8. Skills and Capability Building Are Essential
No organisation can grow faster than its people. Yet skills development is often reactive or overlooked entirely.
From digital fluency to communication, collaboration, and leadership—growth requires constant capability-building. It's not just about training; it's about creating a culture of learning. It is also a great tool for recruitment and retention. Employees that feel they are stagnating, leave.
What’s your plan for upskilling this year? How are you identifying and closing critical capability gaps? What is your plan to develop your top talent?
Final Thoughts
Growth isn’t effortless—and it’s rarely accidental. It takes vision, a great idea, consistency, and a willingness to challenge what’s comfortable.
At Tigris Consulting and Mediation, we support ambitious organisations to grow through better strategy, stronger leadership, and more inclusive cultures. If your team is stuck, stretched, or simply ready to scale—let’s talk.
About the author
Rakhee Verma is a seasoned leader in sales, business development, marketing, and strategic communication, with over 15 years of leadership experience across the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors—including within PwC and the United Nations
Rakhee has cultivated and managed high-value strategic relationships with FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 companies and is frequently engaged for interim board-level assignments, where she leads transformative turnaround strategies and drives sustainable growth.
She is also a trusted business mentor and leadership coach, supporting senior executives to unlock their potential and navigate complexity with clarity and confidence.
An accredited mediator through CEDR, Rakhee brings a wealth of expertise in conflict resolution and negotiation. She has successfully coached leaders to enhance their communication, resolve challenges, and strengthen team cohesion.
Proficient in multiple languages and deeply attuned to diverse cultural contexts, Rakhee brings a truly global mindset and inclusive leadership style to every engagement.
Her culturally intelligent approach fosters authentic connection, drives strategic alignment, and delivers lasting impact across borders and sectors.
Image by Kalhh by Pixabay
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