Chief Growth Officer’s Broad Vision of Strategy
The Chief Growth Officer (CGO) is a role that bridges internal organizational gaps between functions that drive organizational growth. These functions include marketing, sales, research and development, finance, and more. The CGO develops a broad vision for executing strategies that generate sustained organizational growth. Here are three questions you should ask while searching for your next Chief Growth Officer:
1. Does your organization cultivate a workplace culture that is open to innovation?
The role of a CGO is inherently innovative and thus requires a certain level of experimentation. A CGO makes bold decisions in order to successfully drive organizational growth. While searching for your next CGO, assess how open your workplace culture is to innovation.
- Do teams frequently brainstorm ideas outside of the typical scope?
- Do teams feel comfortable offering less-than-fully formed ideas?
- Are management teams supportive and encouraging of expression of ideas which don’t necessarily conform to convention?
Organizational structure determines whether a candidate could be a successful CGO within a particular organization. Three organizational systems allow a Chief Growth Officer the structure they need to successfully drive organizational growth. Firstly, curiosity about contemporary trends in the broader industry encourages a CGO to make bold decisions. Secondly, keeping tabs on the latest technological advancements enables a CGO to make bold decisions. Finally, the ability to translate those observations into actionable consumer-centric solutions allow a CGO to make bold decisions.
2. What specific strategies has a candidate used to drive growth, and how do those strategies align with your organization’s needs?
Determine where exactly your organization is in its growth, then prioritize the responsibilities of the CGO accordingly. Different organizations are at different stages of growth. With this in mind, individual organizations require different tactics and strategies in order to reach their goals. A candidate’s specific experiences in driving organizational growth are indicative of that candidate’s vision. In order for that candidate to be successful as your CGO, their vision must align with your organization’s specific needs.
- Does a given candidate have the experience of growing organizations at the stage your organization is currently in?
- If so, how successful were the strategies employed by that candidate?
A CGO has to be innovative and act boldly, but they need to do so in ways that fulfill the organization’s specific goals. When searching for your next CGO, first determine what specific strategies a candidate has used to drive organizational growth. Then, consider how (or if) those specific strategies align with your organization’s needs.
3. What opportunities for personal growth will your Chief Growth Officer role have?
The leadership you’re seeking for your organization’s Chief Growth Officer is highly-sought-after talent. A successful CGO has a bold and highly-innovative nature. As a result, the talent in this area is interested in what personal growth opportunities will be available to them. The role of a Chief Growth Officer is a highly-evolving one. When searching for your next Chief Growth Officer, consider what opportunities for personal growth are reflected in the role.
In Conclusion
Few C-suite roles are as bold or as risk-taking as the CGO. When searching for your next Chief Growth Officer, ask three questions. Do you have a workplace culture that is open to innovation? Does a candidate’s vision and strategies for growth align with organizational needs? What opportunities for personal growth will your CGO have?
The person your organization hires for this role will be critical in achieving organizational goals. Furthermore, they will be critical in determining the overall direction of your organization’s future growth. Contact us for more information about hiring your next CGO.
