Why do so many businesses struggle to grow, even when they have a brilliant product or service?
After working across different continents, I've come to believe that most organisations do not have an ideas problem. They have an execution problem.
I've seen organisations with talented people, ambitious leaders and genuine market opportunities still fall short because the foundations needed to support growth simply were not there.
The warning signs are often familiar. Objectives are unclear or constantly changing. Teams work in silos with little coordination. Decision-making is slow because responsibilities are not well defined. Managers spend their days firefighting instead of leading. Projects drift because no one has a clear picture of progress, and risks are only discussed once they have become expensive problems. None of these issues usually appears overnight. They develop gradually as an organisation grows.
For many start-ups and SMEs in West Africa, the journey often follows a similar pattern. The business begins with a great idea, a passionate founder and a small team that communicates informally. Decisions are quick, everyone does a bit of everything and growth comes naturally.
Then the business expands.
Five employees become twenty. Twenty become fifty. New customers arrive, more suppliers need managing, cash flow becomes tighter and projects become more complex.
The systems that worked in the early days begin to break down.
Another challenge I see regularly is the rise of the "accidental manager". Someone who was an outstanding engineer, accountant, technician or salesperson is promoted into management because they are excellent at what they do. But managing people requires a completely different set of skills.
Leading teams, setting priorities, managing performance, resolving conflict, planning projects and making strategic decisions are rarely things people simply pick up on their own. Without proper support, even the most capable professionals can struggle.
These are not uniquely West African challenges. Whether you are in Abidjan, Accra, London or Singapore, growing businesses often experience the same transition. The difference is that businesses operating in developing markets must often navigate additional pressures such as infrastructure constraints, regulatory complexity, skills shortages and more limited access to finance.
Take WeWork, for example. It was not a lack of vision that brought the company to the brink. It was rapid growth without strong governance, sustainable systems and sufficient financial discipline.
The lesson is relevant whether your business employs ten people or ten thousand.
Growth without structure eventually creates complexity. Complexity without good management eventually creates risk.
As a UK Chartered Manager (CMgr MCMI) and PMP®-certified project management professional with more than ten years of international experience, I help organisations strengthen the foundations that enable sustainable growth.