This slide deck explains the concept "ceiling of complexity," coined by Patrick Thean in his book Rhythm: How to Achieve Breakthrough Execution and Accelerate Growth, and lets you know how you can see ceilings of complexity coming and what you can do to avoid them all together as your company grows.

1. EVER FEEL LIKE THIS?

2. You’ve hit a ceiling of
complexity; you’ve reached a
point in your business where
what used to work just doesn’t
work anymore.
All growth companies
encounter ceilings of
complexity, usually when they
hit certain milestones.
YOU’RE
NOT
ALONE
© 2015 Rhythm Systems, Inc.

3.
“When we hit the ceiling of complexity may be different for each
of us. But what is certain is that we will hit them.”
- Patrick Thean, Rhythm: How to Achieve Breakthrough Execution and Accelerate Growth

4. © 2015 Rhythm Systems, Inc.
HOW TO SEE IT
COMING?

5.
When you’re not having fun anymore, that’s usually a leading
indicator that you’re about to hit a ceiling of complexity.

6. The inability to operationally pace and match
customer demand (keep up with your growth)
Some signs that you’ve hit
Your Ceiling of Complexity:
1
2
3
4
A sudden awareness of inefficiency or inability to
effectively solve challenges created by growth
A realization that you have a previously unnoticed
skills gap in the company or your leaders aren’t
equipped to handle your growth
The recognition that workflow processes are filled
with bottlenecks impacting productivity
© 2015 Rhythm Systems, Inc.

7. © 2015 Rhythm Systems, Inc.
WHAT CAN
YOU DO?

8. When you find yourself stuck with
challenges that you have neither the
bandwidth to keep up with nor the
resources to delegate, what do you do?
In order to maintain your growth, you
have to learn to manage it.
You need a rhythm to continually
identify the right things to discuss to
stay focused on the future and avoid
being blindsided.
NOW
WHAT?
© 2015 Rhythm Systems, Inc.

9.
“The Think, Plan, Do Rhythms allow you to make critical
adjustments early in response to obstacles or challenges
coming your way. And that’s how you blow past ceilings of
complexity.”
- Patrick Thean, Rhythm: How to Achieve Breakthrough Execution and Accelerate Growth

10. Establish a rhythm of strategic thinking to create
focus for the future of your business
Think Rhythm
1
2
3
4
Think about your business so you can see obstacles
coming before they halt your growth
Use your Think Rhythm to solve problems as you
grow and avoid ceilings of complexity all together
Plan your ongoing Think Rhythm - each year, each
quarter, each week
© 2015 Rhythm Systems, Inc.

11. Get in a rhythm of execution planning to
let all teams and individuals know what
they are supposed to be working on to
move the company forward.
The Plan Rhythm is when your team
pauses for a couple of days every year
and every quarter to choose the right
priorities and get your departments
aligned.
Plan Rhythm
© 2015 Rhythm Systems, Inc.

12. Establish a rhythm of doing the work to keep the
plan on track
Do Rhythm
1
2
3
4
Execute the plan and make effective and timely
adjustments every week
Use your Do Rhythm to be proactive and prevent
fires rather than fight fires
Keep everyone focused, aligned and accountable to
the plan with weekly adjustment meetings
© 2015 Rhythm Systems, Inc.

13. Blow Past Ceilings of Complexity!
Think
These rhythms aren’t linear; each week, you should spend time on
strategic thinking, planning your execution for the coming week, and
doing the work and making adjustments.
These are strong, regular, and repeated patterns of organizational
behavior, not just a process for solving a particular problem.
Plan Do
© 2015 Rhythm Systems, Inc.

14. Think Plan Do
© 2015 Rhythm Systems, Inc.
Establishing these 3 key rhythms to execute well will help your
company to grow with purpose and blow past ceiling after ceiling
of complexity!