“He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” — John 15:2
Not only a lesson for life, but also for business.
As recruitment leaders, we often equate growth with adding more: more consultants, more clients, more tools.
But more isn’t always better. Sometimes, more is just noise from expectation.
Staying lean is about focus. It’s the discipline of cutting what doesn’t deliver — unprofitable clients, underperformers, unused tech, bloated overheads — and doubling down and allocating your resources on what does.
Part of the work I do with recruitment business owners is in identifying:
· What in their business is no longer profitable including outdated tools or processes.
· What is working and why.
· How to achieve targeted success in key areas with more focus and resources such as L&D and tech.
The result we’re achieving include:
· Low-margin accounts dropped
· Average deal size increased
· Reduced headcount
· Reinvestment in tech to support top billers.
· Profits up
· Less stress with greater strategic clarity
That’s the power of pruning.
It’s not about shrinking — it’s about sharpening and recognising that healthy growth often starts with tough decisions.
Growth doesn’t come from being busy, it comes from being intentional. Lean isn’t less, it’s more of what works.
How often do you take a detailed review of the productivity breakdown across your business?
