EP56 Simplify to Scale: The Secret to Smart Growth with Kevin Lawrence

What if your strategic plan is actually holding you back?

In this episode of The Mike Method, Mike sits down with leadership advisor and author Kevin Lawrence for a no-nonsense conversation about the often-misunderstood difference between improvement and growth. Kevin brings powerful insight from his decades of coaching CEOs, and he doesn’t shy away from the hard truths — especially the ones leaders need to hear. Kevin’s career spans over 25 years, across a dozen countries and four continents. He’s worked with hundreds of CEOs and executives, helping them to break through business challenges, grow their companies and find personal success along the way.

He introduces the concept of spatial disorientation in leadership — a condition pilots experience when they lose track of direction — and draws compelling parallels to what happens when CEOs get too caught up in day-to-day operations and lose sight of what really matters.

They dive into:

• Why writing a book is like building a company — painful, humbling, and ultimately transformative
• How strategic plans can become liabilities when they’re overly complex or not truly aligned with growth
• The crucial difference between improvement and growth — and why chasing efficiency might be pulling you away from long-term success
• The four forces of growth, and how great leaders learn to balance strategic vision with operational demands
• Why the messiness of growth isn’t something to fix — it’s something to embrace
• How simplicity in strategy leads to better execution and a more focused team
• Why performance cultures outperform comfort cultures every time
• And the mindset shift leaders need: focusing on opportunities, not just problems

Whether you're leading a startup or a seasoned organization, this episode will challenge you to rethink your approach to growth — and inspire you to lead from a place of clarity, not chaos.

Episode Resources:

Kevin Lawrence: Website

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