Business Growth Brief · By Leanne Reichhoff
An opportunity comes along, and you can see why it would be good for the business. A partnership could introduce you to the right people. An event could increase visibility. A new service could respond to something customers have been requesting.
You begin thinking about how to make it work. You could move a few things around, ask someone to help, or give it extra time yourself.
Before committing, “we can make it work” deserves a closer look. Who will prepare everything? Who will make decisions? Who will answer questions afterward? What happens to the work those people are already carrying?
Account for the Work Around the Main Activity
The visible commitment may represent only part of the responsibility. An event occupies a few hours on the calendar, but preparation can include planning, materials, communication, travel, and follow-up. A partnership may require onboarding conversations, shared processes, and ongoing coordination.
A new service can create responsibilities long after its launch. The company may need training, documentation, pricing decisions, quality standards, sales materials, and a process for handling exceptions.
List the work before, during, and after the main activity. Include the smaller responsibilities that tend to disappear from the initial discussion, such as collecting information, checking work, and maintaining what has been created.
This gives the business a more accurate picture of what it is agreeing to.
Consider the People Who Will Carry the Commitment
An opportunity may fit the company’s expertise while depending on someone whose time is already committed.
Before assuming the team can absorb it, talk with the people involved. Ask what the work requires, where it would fit, and what would need to change. Include leadership attention as well as delivery time. A project can stall because decisions are unavailable even when the team has room to execute.
Be specific about ownership. “The team will handle it” does little to clarify who prepares, approves, delivers, or follows through.
At Re3, we consider these questions part of responsible business growth. An opportunity needs to be assessed alongside the people and systems expected to support it.
Stewardship Includes Time and Relationships
My faith influences how I think about these decisions. I consider stewardship in relation to money, but also time, relationships, existing commitments, and the people whose work I help direct.
When I agree to something, the decision may create responsibilities for other people. I want to account for that before promising what we can deliver.
That requires looking at the commitments already in place. A customer waiting on agreed work, a team member preparing another project, or a partner relying on a decision is part of the context for the next opportunity.
Taking on worthwhile work can require a stretch. The important question is whether we understand the stretch and have a credible plan for it.
Decide What Will Make Room
When capacity is limited, adding a commitment means changing something. Identify where the time, money, and attention will come from.
You might postpone another initiative, bring in support, reduce scope, or adjust timing. Each choice has implications. Additional support may require onboarding. A delayed initiative may affect another team. A narrower scope needs to be communicated clearly.
If the plan depends on everyone quietly working longer, make that assumption visible and examine whether it is reasonable. An opportunity deserves an honest assessment of the conditions required to fulfill it.
Consider Timing and Scope Alongside Yes or No
Some opportunities make more sense later. Others can be pursued well through a smaller commitment.
For example, the company might participate in an event before taking responsibility for organizing it. It might test a service with a limited group before offering it broadly. It might finish a current system improvement before launching the initiative that will depend on it.
These options let leadership examine how to participate responsibly rather than treating every decision as an immediate, full commitment or a permanent rejection.
Before agreeing, ask:
- What work does this create beyond the main activity?
- Who will own each responsibility?
- What needs to move, change, or stop?
- Can we deliver the promise alongside our existing commitments?
An opportunity can be appealing and still need different timing or support. What helps you decide when your business is ready to take it on?
