Growth Plays Every Leader Needs in Their 2025 Playbook

With just a few days left in March, I've been reflecting on what truly drives organizational change, given everything organizations have faced in this first quarter of the new year. The question I hear most from executives in my network: "How do we organize effectively for sustainable growth when everything keeps changing?"

Last week, Forbes published their "5 Growth Plays For Organizational Success In 2025" analysis, and it resonated deeply with what I'm seeing in my work with high-growth organizations.

Let me share these essential strategies through the lens of what I call our "inner GPS" - those guiding principles that help us navigate to where we're meant to be.

1. Organize Deliberately for Growth

Growth doesn't happen by accident. According to The Alexander Group's findings highlighted in Forbes, 72% of marketing leaders are increasing investments in product development and digital initiatives this year. But throwing resources at growth without the right organizational structure is like trying to sail without a rudder.

The most successful organizations I work with are continuously evaluating their structure and making adjustments as needed. They're creating frameworks that promote cross-functional collaboration - where teams can exchange insights, best practices, and data.

I often tell my clients: "Your organizational structure isn't just about efficiency - it's about enabling the right conversations to happen naturally."

2. Achieve Functional Excellence

We are whole people - who we are personally is who we are professionally. Excellence comes from aligning your teams' natural strengths with their roles while providing the coaching and opportunities they need to thrive.

The Forbes CxO Growth Survey 2025 reinforces this, ranking process optimization as the third most important growth factor cited by business leaders. This isn't just about workflows - it's about creating environments where people can bring their full selves to work.

Ask yourself: Are your teams aligned with their core competencies? Do they have what they need to formulate effective strategies? Where are the opportunities to address deficiencies?

3. Enhance Product Commercialization

Even brilliant products fail without effective commercialization. This isn't just about marketing - it's about ensuring your customer-facing teams are prepared to maximize every interaction.

I've seen organizations transform their results by projecting product performance over several years and using those insights to effectively plan for development. The key is equipping your teams with resources that anticipate customer inquiries and clearly articulate your value proposition.

Remember: innovation without communication is just an expensive hobby.

4. Expand Digital Coverage Strategically

The Forbes analysis reveals something fascinating: technology has now surpassed brand purpose as the leading growth catalyst, with digital transformation identified as the primary strategic focus for executives.

But digital expansion isn't just about having more channels - it's about evolving from treating digital as "just another sales channel" to making it a distinct business unit that harmonizes resources across various functions.

Like that entrepreneurial spirit I've carried since childhood, the most successful digital strategies capitalize on the resources you already have and bring them to the people who need what you offer.

5. Optimize Your Demand Generation Approach

As your organization and customer base expand, diversifying demand generation strategies becomes essential. High-volume campaigns build awareness, while account-based strategies provide the focused approach necessary for closing deals.

Finding the right balance is critical - and it requires constant monitoring as your organization scales.

The BiQ Perspective

What separates companies that merely survive from those that thrive is their ability to align these five growth plays with their authentic purpose. Using Keri Laine Executive Solution's Behavioral Intelligence principles, we can see that successful implementation requires both strategic mindset and the courage to show up authentically.

As I often share with my clients, we all have that "loop" - those stories we tell ourselves that can either limit or propel us. The same is true for organizations. The most successful growth strategies acknowledge both the conscious goals (what we want to achieve) and the subconscious patterns (how we typically operate).

As Forbes concludes, implementing these strategies is "easier said than done." But that's where true leadership comes in - having the fortitude to stay the course when challenges arise.

I'd love to hear which of these growth plays resonates most with you right now. What's your inner GPS telling you about your organization's next move?

Your success is not just our mission – it's our passion.

Keri Laine

Founder & CEO of Keri Laine Executive Solutions

www.kles.pro

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