2. Business integration vs. fragmentation Many businesses are fragmented. Much of their energy is dispersed among too many markets, products, services, customers, employees and investments which confuse the daily tasks of decision makers. In times of uncertainty, many owners subconsciously spread themselves too thin in order to seemingly have their options open. They create an adrenaline rush that creates a false sense of urgency and security about their successes and how to achieve them. Without integrative forethought, this forces each new idea to have its own set of resources in order to get off the ground. Thus, the organization’s resources become fragmented and have less energy than if ideas and resources were better orchestrated to create a synergistic environment for growth. Business owners of the future will integrate their passion, strategy, collaboration of people, and work systems into more focused solutions that create specific experiences desired by specific, target customers. While the products and markets can still be plenty, the possibility of being everything to everyone disappeared a long time ago. Most business owners instinctively know this. Yet, most have not transitioned to integrated business models that coordinate activities in their businesses around core deliverables. These models do not limit the possible deliverables. They simply organize them in ways that focus energy and the appropriate allocation of resources to achieve realistic outcomes for growth and profitability. << Growth Trends #1 : Growth Trends #3 >>