How to Inspire Growth Obsession in Your Staff

Staff meetings -- as anyone who has ever sat through a boring one knows -- can be a big waste of time if nothing gets done.

One way to make sure the time is well used is to search for new growth opportunities at every meeting. Just like professional athletes, you want to practice important skills -- in this case, looking for growth -- that you want to become part of your DNA.

The leaders who are obsessed with profitable growth can orient their direct reports to think the same way. Here's one way to do it: Before your next staff meeting, assign one of your direct reports the task of coming up with one example of how other companies have grown organically -- that is, have increased revenues profitably by coming up with new ideas and not through acquisitions (see "Put Aside Your Excuses and Grow" ).