What It Takes to Grow

I have the privilege of interacting with a lot of business owners. Almost without exception, the number one topic of conversation is growth. The question most business owners wake up with every morning is:

How do I grow my business?

But that's the wrong question. How do I grow my business? is an end-game question. Asking it too early in the process produces confusion, frustration and often, unproductive activity. Asking it at the wrong time can even sink the ship. What we need is a stepping-stone question. What we need to ask is, which of the following is most important right now?

a) Develop the capability to sell more

b) Develop the capability to produce more

I can here the chorus now, I need both! That's true, you do need both to grow. But, how to sell more? and how to produce more? are radically different questions with radically different answers. And virtually no one has the time, resources and brain power to answer both at the same time.

So, which one is most important to your business right now? Which one comes first?