Leaders pursuing growth in established organizations with entrenched ways of doing business must maintain a delicate balance. They must ensure that improvements are realized in their present core businesses and capabilities while also sending their organizations out to blaze new trails and innovate for future growth.

Clear direction is needed on both sides of the growth equation and leaders must help their organizations maintain focus on both present and future strategies. Otherwise, a company can quickly develop a paralyzing case of schizophrenia.

Several effective tactics will help keep resources in balance while moving the company ever forward.

Cultivate separate cultures

How does a company encourage radical innovation when its culture is one of consistency and conservatism? By clearly identifying its innovation efforts as distinct and separate from the organization’s present path to growth.

That doesn’t mean alienation, however. Innovators must be allowed to experiment and exploit growth potential while still sharing traditional company resources and staying connected to current customers. Likewise, those workers focused on driving slow-and-steady growth from the core business must appreciate that their efforts will help drive funding for the organization’s innovative growth projects.

Unfortunately, friction between those who are exploring future opportunities and those working to grow the current business is common and can stall a company’s growth. Leaders must work diligently to cultivate a complementary synergy between the two forces.

Oftentimes, that means maintaining two well-aligned organizations within the same company and uniting them with a well-defined mission. Although the two cultures and processes may work mostly independent of one another, and each side may be thoroughly aligned with its respective challenges, both sides should share a common vision of the company’s success.

Maintain both internal and external balance

Making sure a company is well prepared and well organized should be a top priority for any growth-oriented leader. Equally important are internal and external initiatives.

The probability of achieving growth objectives is increased if a leader avoids excessive emphasis on a single strategy to transform an organization. Putting a disproportionate amount of energies and resources behind Initiatives like TQM, for instance, can create an internal imbalance that overshadows the big picture.

External activities should also be guided by a balanced perspective. Leaders should encourage their organizations to cultivate current markets, develop new markets for existing products and services, and also pursue the introduction of new products and services for new markets.