A ScaleUp’s biggest challenge: how to get the right people on the bus.

I believe Danish work culture has a profound influence on how scaleups grow. Danish work culture shows both advantages as well as disadvantages.??

Denmark’s emphasis on flat hierarchies and work-life balance creates an environment where collaboration thrives. People feel empowered and trusted to make decisions and to innovate, which is essential for any company looking to scale.The cultural focus on sustainability and corporate responsibility is also a huge asset for scaleups in Denmark. It aligns with the purpose-driven missions many companies have today, making it easier to attract and retain top talent.?

However, there are some challenges:

• Reluctance to take risks: Danish work culture tends to prioritize stability and security. This conservative approach to risk can be beneficial in avoiding failures but may limit the bold decisions and innovations needed for scaling rapidly. Scaleups need to embrace risk to grow quickly, which can be at odds with this mindset.
• Work-life balance vs. intensity: Denmark’s strong emphasis on work-life balance is admirable, but it may conflict with the intense work culture that scaleups often require. Rapidly growing companies often need employees to work longer hours or handle higher levels of stress, which can be a tough fit for a culture that places high value on personal time and well-being.
• Talent pool limitations: Denmark’s relatively small population means that there is a limited local talent pool, especially for specialized or highly skilled roles. This makes it harder for scaleups to hire quickly and fill key positions as they grow.
• High costs of employment: The Danish welfare system provides strong protections for employees, but this can result in higher employment costs for scaleups. Companies may find themselves burdened by high taxes and expensive social security contributions, which can eat into the funds needed for reinvestment and growth.

Startups need generalists, scaleups need specialists

From what I’ve seen, the type of people you need evolves dramatically as your business grows. In the early startup phase, you need generalists—people who can juggle multiple roles and adapt to constant change. But when your company hits the management phase, that’s when you need specialists. These are the experts who have deep knowledge in specific areas and can really drive the business forward.

It’s also important to recognize that not everyone who was part of the startup phase will necessarily grow with the business. And that’s completely okay! Not everyone is suited to every phase of growth. The key is aligning your team with your core values and long-term strategy to ensure they’re the right fit for where the company is headed next. (Read our blog about growth phases here)

The core and market strategy is the foundation

In my opinion, before you even start thinking about hiring, you need to have your core strategy nailed down. If you don’t know where your company is headed in the next 10-15 years, how can you know what roles you’ll need to fill? By clarifying your Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) and breaking it down into 3-year and 1-year priorities, you can map out the key positions that will drive your growth.

Once this is in place, there are several tools I use to ensure we’re hiring the right people. Here are a few of my go-to methods:

1. The A-Player Method

In my experience, identifying “A-Players” is crucial. In my context, A-Players are ar NOT the top performers who consistently achieve outstanding results. A-Players fit the core values of the company (cultural fit), they match the competency profile (scorecard) of the role AND the scaleup is able to employ them for the salary the scaleup can afford.

To identify A-Players, we use a? rigorous interview focused on past performance. It’s important to ask candidates about specific situations where they demonstrated leadership, problem-solving, or extraordinary results.?

1. TMA Method (Talent Motivation Assessment)

The TMA Method is a tool I find incredibly valuable when trying to align a candidate’s intrinsic motivations with the needs of the company. Unlike traditional assessments that focus solely on skills and experience, the TMA method digs deeper into what truly drives an individual.?

This method measures through a thorough analysis a person’s need on 22 drivers. If the person shows a significant low or high need it’s an identified talent. These talent’s can be matched with competencies. The competencies are determined by the scaleup, called a competency profile for each role in the company. The competency profile is part of the scorecard (see bullet 4).?

One of the key benefits of the TMA method is that it helps avoid common pitfalls of misalignment, where a person may have the right skills but isn’t motivated by the role they’re in. When you align talent with both the competency profile and the motivational drivers, the likelihood of success in the role increases significantly.

1. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

In my opinion, Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team is one of the most effective frameworks for diagnosing team issues that can hinder growth. The model outlines five key dysfunctions that, if not addressed, can cause a breakdown in team performance. These dysfunctions are:

1. Absence of Trust – When team members don’t trust each other, they aren’t open about their weaknesses, mistakes, or concerns, which limits honest communication.
2. Fear of Conflict – If trust is absent, healthy debate is avoided, leading to artificial harmony where real issues go unresolved. Productive conflict is necessary for growth.
3. Lack of Commitment – Without conflict, team members may agree to decisions without fully buying into them. This leads to poor commitment and accountability down the road.
4. Avoidance of Accountability – When there is a lack of commitment, holding people accountable becomes difficult. Team members may hesitate to call each other out on behaviors that are detrimental to the team’s success.
5. Inattention to Results – When personal or departmental goals take precedence over team results, the focus shifts away from what’s best for the organization. This can lead to poor overall performance.

I find that by addressing these dysfunctions, teams can work more cohesively, communicate openly, and align more effectively toward shared goals. When a team operates in harmony, it’s much easier to scale the business.

1. Scorecards

I use scorecards as a tool to create clarity and accountability within the team. A scorecard outlines the specific roles, responsibilities, goals, and metrics for each employee or team, providing a clear framework for success. In my opinion, this is essential to ensuring everyone knows exactly what is expected of them.

A typical scorecard includes:

• Key Responsibilities and competency profile: A breakdown of the most important duties and expectations tied to the role.
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Quantifiable metrics that determine whether the individual is succeeding in their role. For example, a sales team member might have KPIs around the number of leads converted or revenue generated.
• Goals: Short-term and long-term goals that align with the company’s overall objectives. These goals help keep team members focused on what matters most.
• Cultural Fit: This section ensures that the individual is aligning with the company’s core values, which is just as important as achieving financial targets.

Scorecards help scaleups ensure that employees not only understand their roles but are also accountable for their performance. I find that they are especially useful during quarterly reviews, where progress can be measured and discussed in concrete terms. In essence, scorecards help align individual actions with the company’s growth strategy, which is vital for any scaleup looking to maintain momentum.

TIP! Keep Scouting for Talent

One thing I always recommend to other leaders: don’t wait until you have an opening to start looking for talent. Keep scouting. I’ve found that having a virtual bench of pre-screened candidates can significantly shorten the time it takes to fill key roles when someone leaves. Given the fierce competition for talent, especially now, I believe it’s crucial to have this bench in place not just for HR but for all team managers. Recruiting and onboarding can take up to a year if you’re not prepared, but with a virtual bench, you can hit the ground running.

How the right people create Growth Flywheel momentum

In my opinion, one of the key insights from the Scaling Up methodology is the importance of having the right people on the bus. Once you’ve built a team that aligns with your core values and strategy, everything becomes easier. Execution improves, cash flow increases, and you have the resources to fuel further growth. This creates a powerful flywheel effect—each success leads to the next, and your business gains the momentum it needs to scale sustainably.