Kingdom Business Life Cycle: Sustainability Phase

“And so it was, on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening. So when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, ‘What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit, and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?’ And Moses said to his father-in-law, ‘Because the people come to me to inquire of God. When they have a difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.’ So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, ‘The thing that you do is not good. Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself.’” – Exodus 18:13-18

Are you struggling with letting go of responsibility? Are you feeling overwhelmed with all of the work that is coming along with success? Do you know how to select the right people and build efficient systems for your organization?

Andrew Carnegie, the famous American philanthropist, is credited with saying, “No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself, or to get all the credit for doing it.” At some point along the startup journey, an entrepreneur will find himself or herself faced with the issue of delegation. This is usually faced in the transition between the profitability phase and the sustainability phase. The sustainability phase is when the business has the people and systems to operate without the day-to-day tactical involvement of the entrepreneur.

This phase can be a struggle for any leader or entrepreneur. It requires letting go of the reins and choosing the right people for leadership roles in the organization. A wise entrepreneur knows when to delegate, what to delegate, and who to delegate to.

We read of an example of delegation in Exodus. Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, decides to make a trip to visit his daughter and son-in-law. Upon his arrival, he finds Moses judging the entire nation of Israel by himself. Jethro steps in and offers some sage advice:

Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you: Stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God. And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do. Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for they will bear the burden with you. If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their place in peace. (Exodus 18:19-23)

Moses wisely takes Jethro’s advice. He moves from a position of tactical day-to-day involvement and shifts to a position of intercessory leadership between the people and God. He puts the right people in place, creating a leadership hierarchy, and begins to act as a teacher, training the Israelites to walk in the way they should go.

Like Moses, an organization entering into the sustainability phase requires an entrepreneur to shift roles, thinking strategically about how to best serve staff and customers as the organization grows.

An entrepreneur should understand the following characteristics about the sustainability phase:

• The sustainability phase ideally is reached between in the 7^th to the 10^th year, sometimes longer.
• During this stage, the entrepreneur is working more on the business versus in
• Hiring the right people for the right positions is critical during this phase.
• Systems and processes operate the business versus entrepreneur’s self efforts.
• The entrepreneur needs to make room for managerial leadership.
• The entrepreneur should be able to create margin of time.
• Outside capital may be necessary and appropriate during the phase.
• This is an appropriate time to diversify.
• This phase requires entrepreneur to give up control.
• This phase can be expensive, as mistakes could easily jeopardize profitability.

My prayer for you during this sustainability phase is that you would humbly and wisely shift roles, seeking God’s best for you and your organization while you learn to serve in a different manner.