The document discusses the challenges and strategies involved in scaling a team and operations within a growing organization. It emphasizes the need for structured processes, transparent decision-making, effective leadership, and the importance of employee integration and wellbeing. Key takeaways include the significance of hiring, delegating responsibilities, and maintaining a balance between passion and sustainability in work efforts.

1. GROWTHfrom working with wood
to working with people.

2. 2015
Impact Hub Berlin scaled from 100sqm to 600sqm. Members increased
from 40 to over 120. Team size doubled, and event space bookings hit the
ceiling. Despite adrenalin and endorphins pumping our veins, growth is a
delicate matter and doesn’t just happen by wanting more.
Expanding our space meant managing wood. Managing wood was simple.
All you needed was a “little” persistence to meet deadlines. But increasing
a team suddenly required to lead AND create a vision beyond the next
couple of months ahead.
Bridging the gap between daily operations and creating a vision with a
sound strategy is demanding. Despite the drive to grow and constantly
innovate, you need to recognize when it’s time to stop starting and start
strengthening.
Growth was (and still is) an entirely new world.

4. Improve & adjust processes.
Obviously adding space and new services requires new processes. You
need a sharp mind to identify flaws to design an automated process that
reliefs stakeholders and the administrative burden. Implementing new
processes while running day-to-day business is exhausting... but it does
pay off: our team operates at a higher level.

5. #Get_smart
#Be_relentless

6. When you realize you’re
accountable for someone.
Spending enough time on the job descriptions and the interviews makes it
easier to find the right person who compliments the team. But it’s not a
happily-ever-after once the contract is signed. Your new employee won’t
exactly know what to do. Finding time to invest in a person can be tricky,
especially when you have heaps to get done.
YET, it’s vital to invest time to align the vision, be clear on tasks and
responsibilities, and schedule check-ins/out. It will pay off to co-create an
environment and role in which the person can strive. It’s the foundation to
start handing over power.

7. #Be_transparent
#Hand_over_power

8. Stop being a bottleneck.
Start leading.
It’s insane how much work you get done in the mornings or after 6pm.
Obviously the solution to get more work done is to come in earlier. FAIL.
You just end up staying longer and getting sucked into administration – a
killer for agile decision-making.
It’s easy to get trapped into believing you have to do it all alone AND
thinking a start-up doesn’t have the money to hire people – but that is
WRONG. Hiring is an investment. Hiring the right people will give you more
freedom to excel at finding business opportunities and (finally) start
leading.

9. #Get_out_of_operations
#Grow_skills_to_lead

10. When strategy suddenly became
an “us” and “them” thing.
We started with four people pulling it all off. With a growing team we
allocated responsibilities – which is good and makes life easier. Yet it
creates new hierarchies and levels of reporting. Without being aware we
slipped into a decision-making that was not transparent. It created an
environment of “us” and “them” which had a negative impact on team
dynamics and spirit.
It is important to sit down and redefine, design and create the
organizational structure you want. Our team is at the core of what we do.
Taking care of it pays off.

11. #Pass_on_tribal_knowledge
#Teamwork_starts_with_team

12. Burn, but don’t burn out.
There is a damn fine line between being passionate about something and
getting mental about something. Being on adrenaline 24/7 can be
dangerous, because one day you will crash. Even if you know you can make
it happen (no matter what), it’s important to get more more realistic and
grounded.
You have to learn to pace yourself and don’t let work kill you. That would be
super stupid – especially when you’re starting your own thing. You’re
wellbeing is your biggest resource.

13. #Take_time_to_digest
#Plan_for_the_unexpected

14. “If you had six hours to chop down
a tree, you will spend 4 hours
sharpening the axe.”
#Get smart
#Be relentless
#Be transparent
#Hand over power
#Get out of operations
#Grow skills to lead
#Pass on tribal knowledge
#Teamwork starts with a team
#Take time to digest
#Plan for the unexpected
GROWTH means