THE CASE: The Blame Game
Vikram's company grew 30% annually for 5 years. Then flat. Board blames competition, economy, market shift. Easier than admitting: best people left, processes broke at scale, customer NPS crashed.
The Core Insight
87% of companies hit growth stalls. 70% are internal causes (HBR). Top internal causes: talent gaps (31%), product/market fit erosion (22%), organizational complexity (18%).
The Evidence
87% hit growth stalls (HBR)
70% are internal causes (Bain)
Early diagnosis: 50% recovery rate (McKinsey)
The Growth Stall Diagnosis
3 Questions to Ask
- Talent: Have we lost key people? Are we hiring fast enough?
- Product/Market: Has what customers value shifted? Are we still solving real problems?
- Complexity: Is it harder to get things done? Are processes helping or hindering?
The Experiment
Conduct honest internal review: What's slower than it was 2 years ago? What do employees complain about? What do customers say?
Sources
- HBR. When Growth Stalls. 2022.
- Bain. Internal vs External Growth Blockers. 2023.
Key Takeaways
- 87% of companies hit growth stalls—70% are internal causes
- Common internal causes: talent gaps, product/market erosion, complexity
- External blame is easy. Internal diagnosis is necessary.