Coaching Leaders Through Growth Pain
Growth is what every mission-first organization wants. More reach, more impact, more lives changed. But growth is rarely smooth. It introduces new demands, exposes weak spots, and often creates unexpected friction.
We call this growth pain — the set of challenges leaders face not because they’re failing, but because they’re succeeding.
The good news: these pains are predictable. The bad news: without the right leadership response, they can stall momentum, frustrate teams, and even cause mission drift.
The Growth Pain Diagnostic
System Strain
- What worked when the organization was small no longer holds up at scale. Manual processes become bottlenecks, and the “patchwork” systems can’t keep up.
- Diagnostic question: Where are staff spending more time wrestling with systems than advancing the mission?
Role Confusion
- Growth requires specialization, but many teams still operate with “everyone does everything". As complexity increases, lack of role clarity creates conflict and inefficiency.
- Diagnostic question: Do people know who owns what, or is accountability fuzzy?
Leadership Bandwidth
- Founders and executives who thrived in a hands-on environment often struggle to let go. Growth demands delegation and trust in others.
- Diagnostic question: Are leaders working in the business or on the business?
Cultural Tension
- As organizations scale, new people bring new perspectives. The culture that once felt tight-knit and intuitive may begin to fray if it isn’t intentionally reinforced.
- Diagnostic question: Are staff aligned to the mission and values, or are cracks starting to show?
Change Fatigue
- Growth often means a rapid succession of new initiatives. Without careful pacing and communication, staff start to burn out, becoming resistant to the very changes that will help them succeed.
- Diagnostic question: Do people feel energized by growth, or exhausted by it?
Growth Pain Resolution Framework
Recognizing these pains is the first step. The second is addressing them with deliberate leadership. Here’s the framework we use when coaching executives:
- Stabilize Systems
- Clarify Roles and Responsibilities
- Expand Leadership Capacity
- Nurture Culture with Intention
- Manage the Pace of Change
Why Coaching Matters
Leaders don’t fail because they’re not talented enough. They struggle because growth exposes new demands they’ve never had to face before. Coaching helps leaders step back, diagnose their situation, and adopt new behaviors that meet the moment.
It’s not about fixing weaknesses. It’s about expanding capacity.
Growth pain is not a sign that something is wrong. It’s a sign that the mission is advancing. The question is whether leaders will adapt to that pain, or let it stall the very progress they’ve worked so hard to achieve.
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Pachydermos supports leaders through growth pain. If you are successfully experiencing growth and need coaching to expand your leadership capacity, reach out, and let's chat.