Building for Centuries
A weekly note from Matthew Powell
The inconvenient truth is that greatness takes time.
I’m convinced there are no shortcuts. There is no self-imposed finish line that can expedite the path to building a truly great organization. I’m finding it is a long journey to build great businesses over decades.
As a leader, even though short-term thinking surrounds us, we always have a choice between the short-term and the long-term path.
One path?
The usual route is often defined by quick wins, fast growth, and big exits. But if we examine this common practice more closely, we’re often left with burned-out teams and only a few winners at the top.
The other path
An alternative path, one dedicated to long-term thinking, leads us to something bigger—Businesses that are regenerative for all stakeholders. Businesses that live beyond the life of their founders, teams that thrive, and communities that flourish. And a leadership journey where fulfillment and success are found.
As a 4th generation steward and CEO of Century Companies, I am committed to the alternative path. I’m on a journey to optimize wisdom and relationships to prove that you can grow both profit AND people.
Every week, I share what I’m learning, what I’m reading, and what I’m seeing as a steward of a 100-year-old family business that has been building for centuries.
Having a long-term view is a reminder that humans are not resources. Humans are the point.
Let’s explore together and affirm building for centuries is a mountain worth climbing.