Every organization moves through predictable stages: startup, growth, maturity, and either decline or renewal. But most leaders don't realize they've already shifted from one stage to another, and their organizations suffer for it.

In this episode, we're breaking down the organizational lifecycle: what it is, how to diagnose where you actually are, and why knowing your stage is the single most important thing you can do to lead well right now.

What We Cover:

The four key stages:

• Startup/Launch – Founder-driven, scrappy, everyone does everything. What breaks: lack of systems, burnout, role confusion as you grow.
• Growth – Expanding fast, adding people, increasing complexity. What breaks: systems can't keep up, decision-making bottlenecks, founder becomes the ceiling.
• Stabilization/Maturity – Established systems, defined roles, predictable operations. What breaks: bureaucracy, mission drift, stagnation.
• Decline or Renewal – Revenue plateaus, team disengagement, or intentional reinvention.

Key insight: What got you here won't move you forward. Each stage requires different things from you as a leader.

How to Diagnose Where You Actually Are

I walk through diagnostic questions organized into three categories:

Structural Indicators: How many people are on your team? Do you have defined roles? Can the organization run without you? Do decisions bottleneck at the top?

Strain Indicators: What's breaking right now? What used to work that doesn't anymore? Where are you spending most of your energy?

Emotional/Cultural Indicators: How does your team feel? What are people complaining about? Are you excited about the future, or exhausted by the present?

Key insight: Your frustration is often your best diagnostic tool. If you're frustrated that decisions take forever, you've outgrown informal decision-making. If things feel stale, you need renewal. If you can't keep up, you're in growth without infrastructure.

What Knowing Your Stage Unlocks

Once you know where you are:

Clarity on priorities – Focus on what this season requires, not every opportunity.

Permission to say no – "Not right now" becomes strategic, not failure.

Realistic expectations – Align expectations with reality.

The right help at the right time – Know what support you actually need: systems, strategy, people development, or renewal.

Core message: You can't lead well if you don't know where you are. But once you do? Everything gets clearer.

Reflection Questions:

• Where do you think your organization is right now?
• What's the biggest indicator you might be in a different stage than you thought?
• What would change if you named your current season honestly?

If this is resonating and you're not sure where your organization is, let's talk. Visit bearupdevelopment.com.