■ A growth focus typically leads to weak strategic decisions

Among all other influences, the desire to grow has perhaps the most perverse effect on strategy. – Michael Porter

When you place your focus on achieving growth, it leads you to assess where you are losing out on growth. Typically, you will identify the trade-offs and limitations you've made that are embedded into the product. You'll see how the product serves one segment of customers to the exclusion of others. You'll hear why customers are choosing other products and try to close those gaps. The efforts to reduce these limitations or expand the market are very frequently a path to becoming more similar to other products, and losing differentiation. And it is differentiation that leads to sustainable growth.