How to Build a Growth System

Episode title options Primary recommendation (sharp + timely): “Don’t Automate Chaos: Why Most AI Transformations Fail” Alternatives (more/less provocative): “Rocket Boosters on Paper Planes: The AI Implementation Trap” “AI Isn’t the Problem—Your System Is” “Agentic AI, Real Risk: How to Avoid Scaling Dysfunction” “The 80% AI Failure Rate: What Leaders Keep Missing” “AI Transformation ≠ IT Project...

Dashboards get all the attention — but they don’t actually move the business. They just report the news. In this episode of How to Build a Growth System , Colin and Chris go one level deeper, exploring the signals underneath the dashboard and how to turn them into feedback loops that make your business faster, smarter, and harder to knock off course. They break down feedback loops in plain languag...

Summary In this conversation, Colin and Chris explore the dysfunctions caused by poorly designed dashboards in organizations. They discuss how metrics can mislead teams into believing they are successful while the reality is quite different. Through examples like the Royal Bank of Scotland, they illustrate the dangers of metric fixation and the importance of designing dashboards that reflect true...

Fast growth is supposed to feel like momentum. But for many companies, it quietly turns into friction. In this episode of How to Build a Growth System , Colin and Chris unpack the concept of growth debt — the organisational equivalent of technical debt — and why it may be costing scaling companies 20–30% of their revenue without anyone realising. Starting with Stripe’s finding that a third of deve...

Most leaders treat silos as a collaboration problem. In this episode, Chris and Colin argue they’re something else entirely. Silos aren’t caused by people failing to work together — they’re the natural output of the systems those people are working in. Through real-world examples, systems thinking, and practical tools, this episode breaks down: why smart, well-intentioned teams still end up workin...

Summary In this episode, Colin and Chris explore the concept of self-organization as a superpower for B2B growth. They discuss the paradox of agility versus control, the impact of bureaucracy on innovation, and the cultural biases that lead to over-control in organizations. Through the metaphor of a bowling lane, they illustrate the importance of clear purpose and boundaries in enabling teams to s...

In this episode of The Growth System, Colin and Chris explore the concept of mastery within B2B growth systems, emphasising the importance of personal and professional development. They discuss the role of psychological safety in fostering an environment where individuals can thrive and the need for organisations to understand the dimensions of mastery, including technical proficiency, strategic u...

This conversation delves into the complexities of incentives within B2B growth, emphasising the importance of understanding how compensation structures influence organisational behaviour. The discussion highlights the balance between short-term and long-term goals, the impact of feedback loops, and the consequences of misalignment between stated values and actual incentives. The speakers share cau...

In this episode of The Growth System, Colin and Chris delve into the critical role of collaboration within B2B growth systems. They define collaboration as the key interconnection that facilitates the flow of information and decision-making across teams. The discussion highlights the importance of quality collaboration, identifying pitfalls such as excessive meetings and poor communication practic...

In this episode, Colin and Chris delve into the complexities of authority within organisations, exploring how it is often misunderstood as a binary concept tied to org charts. They discuss the Viable System Model and the importance of distributed control, emphasising the need for feedback loops in decision-making processes. The conversation shifts to the balance between centralisation and decentra...

In this episode, Colin and Chris delve into the importance of workflows in B2B growth systems, discussing the challenges of documenting processes and the complexities of organisational culture. They explore how to identify friction points in workflows, the significance of as-is mapping, and the need for holistic optimisation of interconnections between processes. The conversation emphasises the ne...

In this episode of The Growth System, Colin and Chris delve into the critical role of technology infrastructure in B2B growth. They explore the concept of systems thinking, emphasising the importance of a well-architected tech stack that serves as the nervous system of an organisation. The discussion covers the balance between centralisation and local autonomy in tech decisions, the rise of shadow...

In this episode of The Growth System, Colin and Chris delve into the concept of organisational structure through a systems thinking lens. They discuss the importance of aligning structure with purpose, the role of accountability charts versus traditional org charts, and the balance between formal and informal structures. The conversation emphasises the need for cross-functional collaboration and m...

In this episode of The Growth System, Colin and Chris delve into the critical role of resources within B2B growth teams. They explore the distinction between tradable and non-tradable resources, emphasising the importance of strategic resource allocation and alignment with organisational goals. The conversation highlights the need for both internal and external alignment of resources to achieve de...

In this episode of The Growth System, Colin and Chris delve into the significance of metrics and measurables in B2B growth, exploring how they link to strategy and purpose. They discuss the role of metrics as system drivers, caution against the misleading nature of data, and highlight the pitfalls of relying on metrics like MQLs. The conversation emphasizes the importance of a balanced measurement...

In this episode, Colin and Chris delve into the concept of strategy within the Growth Team Operating System, emphasising its role as a connective tissue between purpose and execution. They discuss the importance of unclustering from competitors, the fractal nature of strategy across different organisational levels, and the essential elements of good strategy, including alignment with purpose and t...

In this episode, Colin and Chris delve into the significance of values within B2B growth, emphasising their role in shaping company culture and guiding decision-making. They discuss the importance of aligning stated values with actual behaviours, the impact of values on employee satisfaction, and the challenges organisations face in bridging the gap between intended and emergent values. The conver...

Summary In this episode of The Growth System, Colin and Chris delve into the foundational concept of purpose within the Growth Team Operating System. They explore how purpose serves as the cornerstone of organisational structure, guiding decision-making, fostering resilience, and enabling self-organisation. The discussion emphasises the importance of a clearly articulated purpose that aligns with...

In this episode, Colin and Chris delve into the concept of business operating systems, emphasising their importance in achieving organisational goals. They discuss the dimensions of a growth team operating system, including purpose, strategy, values, operations, and the role of feedback loops. The conversation highlights the need for a structured approach to business operations to drive efficiency...

Summary In this episode, Colin and Chris discuss the critical importance of sales and marketing alignment in B2B growth. They explore the concept of self-organisation within teams, share personal stories that highlight the pitfalls of superficial alignment, and delve into the financial implications of misalignment, which cost businesses in the us alone up to a trillion dollars annually. The conver...

Summary In this episode of The Growth System, Colin and Chris discuss the critical aspects of planning for B2B growth in 2025. They explore the importance of setting realistic revenue targets, the need for effective modelling, and the significance of shared goal setting between sales and marketing teams. The conversation really emphasises the necessity of strategic positioning in a competitive mar...

Summary In this episode, Colin and Chris delve into the complexities and challenges surrounding Account-Based Marketing (ABM). They discuss the declining perception of ABM, the misconceptions that lead to its ineffective implementation, and the necessary mindset shifts organisations must adopt to succeed. The conversation highlights the importance of alignment between sales and marketing, the need...

Summary In this episode of The Growth System, Colin and Chris delve into the complexities of non-human systems, particularly focusing on tech stacks in B2B growth. They discuss the overwhelming number of SaaS applications available, the challenges posed by disconnected data, and the significant costs associated with these inefficiencies. The conversation highlights the importance of data-driven de...

Summary In this episode, Colin and Chris explore the traditional budgeting process and its limitations, emphasising the need for a systems thinking approach. They discuss how conventional budgeting practices often yield unrealistic numbers, create silos within organisations, and focus excessively on cost control rather than fostering growth. The conversation highlights the importance of aligning b...

Summary In this episode of The Growth System, Colin and Chris delve into the complexities of sales targets within the B2B landscape. They explore the purpose of sales targets, the process of setting them, and the often arbitrary nature of these targets. The conversation highlights the negative impact of sales targets on performance, the short-term focus they create, and the bad behaviours they can...