The Breakthrough Company

Keith McFarland shares how everyday businesses break the plateau and scale with discipline.

Most companies don’t stall for lack of effort—they stall because the systems that got them here can’t carry them there. The Breakthrough Company lays out how solid, real-world firms push past the plateau: clearer focus, tighter execution, stronger leadership benches, and a culture that keeps raising the bar.

What’s inside (in real words)

• From hustle to system: how to move beyond founder heroics to repeatable, teachable ways of working.

• Focus that bites: narrow to a few winning bets, say no to the rest, and align resources where they count.

• Leaders at every level: build managers who can run playbooks, coach people, and make decisions without drama.

• Disciplined execution: operating rhythms that keep priorities visible, owners accountable, and results on track.

• Culture that compounds: values that show up in behaviour—hiring, promotions, meetings, and how you handle misses.

Why this matters for owners and operators

Breakthrough isn’t about magic ideas—it’s about consistent choices. When you clarify focus, install cadence, and build leaders, growth becomes steadier, margins improve, and you stop “re-solving” the same problems every quarter.

Big ideas you can use immediately

• Choose fewer, bigger bets. Three priorities you’ll fund and finish beat ten you’ll drag along.

• Name one owner per outcome. Committees talk—owners deliver.

• Decide how you’ll decide. Write decision rights (Recommend/Approve/Consult/Inform) before the debate.

• Make performance visible. Simple dashboards + weekly reviews = earlier course corrections.

• Promote for behaviors, not tenure. Reward people who raise standards and grow others.

• Codify what works. Turn tribal knowledge into playbooks—then train, practice, and inspect.

Quick company practices (5–15 minutes)

• Priority Roll Call: read the top three company priorities aloud; confirm owner, milestone, and date.

• Blockers & Bridges: each lead names one blocker and one “bridge” they’ll build for another team.

• AAR 3×3: after a win or miss—3 things that worked, 3 that didn’t, and 3 changes next time.

• Owner Map: one-page chart of who owns what; publish it and keep it current.

• Behavior Shout-outs: recognize a specific action tied to a value and a result.

30-day rollout (my recommended plan)

• Week 1 – Focus: set 3 company priorities with clear end-states; cut or park the rest.

• Week 2 – Cadence: install weekly leadership standups and a single decision log; keep both short and honest.

• Week 3 – Ownership: publish the Owner Map; convert two recurring issues into written playbooks.

• Week 4 – Bench & culture: start manager 1:1s, run an AAR on a key project, and recognize two value-driven wins.

Where it helps most

• $5–$100M companies stuck at a revenue or complexity ceiling.

• Founder-led firms shifting from “all roads lead to me” to scalable systems.

• Multi-branch or multi-crew ops that need consistency without killing initiative.

• Teams post-acquisition that must align quickly and deliver results.

Who this is for

Owners, executives, and emerging leaders who want a practical way to break the plateau—clear focus, strong managers, and a cadence that turns plans into wins.

Call to Action

• Skim the key chapters on focus, execution cadence, and leadership bench.

• Publish your 3 priorities and the Owner Map this week.

• Run the 30-day rollout and measure speed, quality, and accountability.