From doing it all to building for scale
In every growing company, there comes a point where what worked before starts to hold you back. Teams get bigger, operations expand, and the pace of work changes. The same people and systems that once felt agile start to feel stretched.
Sheryl Sandberg, former Chief Operating Officer at Meta “Building a company is hard. Growing it is even harder.”
The challenge isn’t just about market conditions or competition. It’s about whether the organisation behind the success can adapt fast enough to support the next phase.
Recognising the shift
In the early stages, generalists carry the business. They take on broad responsibility, move quickly, and fill the gaps that growth creates. Over time, that same approach becomes unsustainable. The business needs structure and expertise that can scale.
Research from Deloitte, shows that organisations with defined structures and clear accountability are more than 50 per cent more likely to exceed their growth targets. (Deloitte Insights: Organisational design for the future of work)
Entrepreneur and investor Codie Sánchez describes this as the shift from generalists to specialists. It is a practical way to explain the point where flexibility must give way to focus. Many leaders recognise it but hesitate to act because of what it means for their teams.
Why this is difficult
Change at this stage affects people who have been central to the company’s story. Roles narrow, reporting lines change, and decisions move to new hands. That can feel like a loss of influence or trust.
Research by McKinsey & Company found that 70 per cent of transformation efforts fail, often because employees do not understand the reason for change or how it benefits them. (McKinsey: The psychology of change management)
The discomfort is normal. It means the organisation is growing beyond its first shape. Leaders who communicate openly and connect change to purpose create understanding instead of resistance.
Leaders who communicate openly and connect change to purpose create understanding instead of resistance.
Leaders who communicate openly and connect change to purpose create understanding instead of resistance.
How to handle it
This is not about replacing people. It is about helping them succeed in a different environment.
Identify where generalists can develop deeper skills and where the business now needs new expertise.
Be clear about what the next stage of growth requires and how structure will help deliver it.
Invest in management capability so leaders can plan and prioritise effectively.
Bring people into the discussion early so they understand their place in what comes next.
Workplace research from Gallup shows that employees who understand how their work contributes to company goals are twice as likely to stay engaged and committed. (Gallup: State of the Global Workplace 2023)
Clarity is the foundation of performance.
What this means for leaders
Keeping generalists in roles that no longer fit may feel kind, but it delays progress for everyone. Growth requires teams to evolve. It also requires leaders to let go of control and trust others to specialise.
A Harvard Business Review study found that leaders who delegate effectively achieve growth rates 33 per cent higher than those who retain control. (Harvard Business Review: Great leaders know when to delegate)
Your team is your business. Setting them up with the structure, support and clarity they need is the most reliable way to scale.
Codie Sánchez’s framing of this shift reminds us that it is not about losing agility. It is about replacing strain with strength. Building for scale means building for the future.