Watch out for that S-curve!

The Innovating Nonprofit

The S-curve theory of organizational growth says that organizations will follow a growth path that that looks like a sigmoid curve. If we understand this we can use it to keep our organizations ahead of the curve; relevant and high performing. But how can you know where your organizations is on the curve? And how can you keep it in the sweet spot?Let’s journey through the S-curve and find out how we can prepare for it…InfancyIn the early stages an organization is like an infant, thrashing about as it tries to figure out how to arrange itself to understand the needs of a target market and develop meaningful solutions to key problems it sees in the market. In this stage learning and flexibility are key characteristics as the organization begins to figure out what works. The focus is not on efficiency because too much is unknown at this point. The structure of the organization resembles a network more than a hierarchy. Everything is exploration and experimentation; learning.As it begins to gain confidence in what it is learning the organization starts increasing its capacity to both cultivate and fulfill demand for its service. The focus is still on learning, but inefficiencies are now becoming more painful as the organization seeks to grow. In early adolescence policies and make-shift systems are put in place to alleviate the most painful inefficiencies. Initial hierarchy is beginning to form in addition to the innovation network. Read more at https://innovatingnonprofit.org/post/140803502170