Are You A Go-Go?
Monday, June 15, 2015
My Dad, Henry, was a classic entrepreneur. Full of
ambition, ideas, and Irish glee, he built a family business that lasted over
50 years and employed over 50% of my O’Donnell Clan in Philadelphia.
My high school buddy, Mike, saw my Dad’s creativity in
action while joining us for a Sunday dinner. Mike was bemused by my
father’s non-stop flow of new opportunities, untapped potentials and wealth
creating ventures. During dinner my Dad’s enthusiasm leapt
from growing and selling pumpkins to harvesting Christmas trees, importing
Irish clothing and, as only the Irish can do, celebrating death with a
fine assortment of all-weather graveside statuary and wreaths.
Amazed at this blizzard of creativity, Mike exclaimed,”Hey, Mr. O’Donnell, you
need a new name! I think we should all call you “GoGo” because
you have more ideas than Einstein!” Well, the glow of satisfaction
that spread over my Dad’s face was stunning! “Mike, my young man, I love
it! You can call me “Go Go” anytime because, borrowing a well
known phrase from comedian Jackie Gleason,”with Henry O’Donnell, it’s
always “away we go!” Glancing knowingly at each other with dramatic
eye rolls, we kids silently wished Dad would just shut up! It was not
to be. For the rest of his life my dear Dad proudly exclaimed his “GoGo”
nickname to all. We even thought about putting it on his tombstone though wiser
heads prevailed.
Imagine my surprise when 45 years
later a Vistage Resource speaker Ian McDougall explained me the
business life cycle stages identified by Dr. Ichak Adizes. One of
the most challenging stages of business growth Adize’s has labeled “Go
Go." During “Go Go” raw ambition runs
wild. Opportunities are everywhere and the sky is the
limit. There is a addictive spirit of adventure and all hands
are fully engaged at whatever task is most pressing. The founding
visionaries gleefully watch as earlier dreams become reality.
The marketplace loves them! There’s enough cash to pay the bills so
let’s start growing! Their business has come from a ???? to a !!!!.
Exciting!!!!!
Sadly, it doesn’t last.
With everyone doing everything, no one was accountable for
anything. I could see the toll it was taking on my Dad. Business got to
be “no fun” Employee turnover and
declining profits became a big problem. Dr. Adizes’s discovered this to
be a natural stage in a business’s evolution. Entrepreneurial companies
“hit the ceiling” many times in the course of their successful growth.
Those that thrive are able to break through the ceiling by purposefully
simplifying and focusing. That is what inspires me about EOS and the work
I do with entrepreneurs. We help firms like my Dad’s. Companies run
by good, caring entrepreneurs who deeply desire to make a difference. They’ve
simply “hit the ceiling.” We help them transition their business through
“GoGo” to “Grow Grow” and, in doing so, realize the dreams that inspired
them to take that very first step. Sadly, EOS wasn’t here for my
Dad’s business. Happily, it’s around for yours.
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