In the lexicon of business strategy, few words are as universally sought yet as poorly defined as “growth.” It’s a target, a mantra, a KPI, but rarely is it a clear, actionable framework. Enter a deliberate reconceptualization: I N C R E A. This isn’t a misspelling of “increase.” It’s an acronym for a modern growth philosophy: Intentional, Non-linear, Compoundable, Resilient, Empowered Action. This framework moves beyond simplistic metrics to describe a holistic, sustainable approach to scaling impact, revenue, and influence. It’s a surprisingly elegant mental model for the complex, interconnected challenges leaders face today.
The classic model of growth is linear—input A leads to output B. But in a world of algorithmic feeds, viral loops, and compound interest on intellectual capital, that model is broken. Growth is no longer a straight line; it’s a network effect. I N C R E A provides the lens to understand and engineer this new reality.
Deconstructing The Framework: The Six Pillars of Modern Growth
The power of I N C R E A lies in its interconnectedness. Each element feeds into and reinforces the others.
- I – Intentional: This is the antithesis of growth for growth’s sake. Intentionality means every initiative, from a new hire to a marketing campaign, is tied to a specific, strategic outcome. It’s about doing the right things, not just doing things right. Before launching a new product feature, the intentional question is: “What core user need does this serve, and how does it align with our long-term vision?” This prevents wasted resources on efforts that look productive but don’t move the needle.
- N – Non-linear: This acknowledges that growth happens in step functions and spurts, not predictably upward slopes. A viral piece of content, a key partnership, or a product innovation can create an outsized result that seems to come from nowhere. The non-linear mindset prepares organizations to capitalize on these inflection points rather than being disrupted by them. It’s about building systems—like a stellar customer referral program or a content ecosystem with high SEO equity—that have the potential to produce non-linear returns.
- C – Compoundable: This is the engine of sustainable growth. Compoundable actions are those whose benefits accumulate and multiply over time. Think of it as building assets, not just checking tasks. A single blog post is a task. A pillar-page SEO strategy that interlinks hundreds of posts, each one building the authority of the others, is a compoundable asset. Training an employee is a task; building a culture of continuous learning that makes your entire team smarter every quarter is a compoundable asset. The focus shifts from short-term outputs to long-term equity.
- R – Resilient: Growth that isn’t resilient is fragile. Resilience is built through diversification—of revenue streams, marketing channels, and talent. It’s engineered through robust systems that can withstand market shocks, whether a Google algorithm update or an economic downturn. A resilient growth strategy isn’t dependent on a single “hero” channel or a star employee; it’s embedded in the fabric of the organization’s operations.
- E – Empowered: Growth cannot be mandated from the top down; it must be enabled. An empowered organization gives teams the autonomy, tools, and data to make decisions and experiment. It’s a cultural shift from “Did you do what I told you?” to “What did you learn from your experiment?” This creates a distributed engine for innovation, where growth can emerge from anywhere within the company.
- A – Action: This is the catalyst. All the strategy in the world is worthless without bias toward motion. I N C R E A is not a philosophy for contemplation; it’s a framework for execution. It demands decisive, informed action, measurement of results, and rapid iteration. It values a “70% solution” implemented now over a “100% solution” delivered too late.
From Theory to Practice: The I N C R E A Framework in Action
Consider a mid-sized B2B software company aiming to i n c r e a its market share.
- Intentional: They decide not to chase every possible feature request but to focus intently on becoming the best-in-class solution for a specific workflow within their niche.
- Non-linear: Instead of just hiring more salespeople (linear), they invest in a partner program, empowering other companies to sell for them, creating a potential for non-linear scale.
- Compoundable: They shift their content strategy from one-off posts to creating a definitive, interlinked library of benchmark reports and how-to guides that becomes the industry’s go-to resource, compounding their domain authority year over year.
- Resilient: They develop a strong community forum, creating a loyal user base that provides stable, recurring revenue and feedback, making them less vulnerable to competitors.
- Empowered: The product team is given clear objectives but the autonomy to run weekly A/B tests on user onboarding, leading to a 15% increase in activation rates.
- Action: They commit to shipping a new, minimally viable integration every quarter based on top customer requests, knowing they can iterate based on feedback.
The implementation of this framework, frankly, requires disciplined focus. It’s a headache to shift from a linear to a non-linear mindset, but the payoff is a more agile, defensible, and valuable organization.
I N C R E A is more than a strategy; it’s a leadership philosophy. It recognizes that true growth is multi-faceted, requiring equal parts strategic clarity, systems thinking, and cultural empowerment. In a world of constant change, it’s the blueprint for building something that doesn’t just grow, but endures.
FAQs on I N C R E A
How is I N C R E A different from other growth frameworks like OKRs?
OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are a brilliant goal-setting tool. I N C R E A is the overarching philosophy that should inform what those OKRs are. OKRs answer “What are we going to achieve and how will we measure it?” I N C R E A answers “What kind of growth should we be pursuing, and what principles will ensure it’s sustainable?” It’s the lens through which you choose your objectives, ensuring they are Intentional, Non-linear, and Compoundable, for example. They are highly complementary, not competing, frameworks.
Can the I N C R E A framework be applied to personal development, not just business?
Absolutely. The principles are universal.
- Intentional: Choosing to develop a skill that aligns with your long-term career vision, not just a random hobby.
- Non-linear: A single connection made at a conference could lead to a career opportunity years later.
- Compoundable: Reading 20 minutes a day in your field compounds into immense expertise over a year.
- Resilient: Developing a diverse set of skills (e.g., coding, writing, public speaking) makes you more adaptable to job market shifts.
- Empowered: Taking ownership of your learning path through online courses instead of waiting for employer training.
- Action: Committing to applying one new thing you learn each week.
Doesn’t a focus on ‘Non-linear’ growth encourage gambling on ‘hacks’ or virality?
This is a critical distinction. The non-linear pillar is not about gambling; it’s about engineering probability. It’s the difference between buying a lottery ticket (a gamble) and building a platform with inherent network effects (engineering non-linear potential). The framework insists this be done with Intentionality and Resilience in mind. You’re building systems and products that have a chance to go non-linear, but you’re not betting the company on it. It’s a balanced portfolio approach to strategy.
How do you measure the success of a compoundable action?
You measure the asset’s growth in value over time, not just its immediate output. For a content asset, this is the month-over-month growth in organic traffic and its increasing ranking for valuable keyword clusters. For a software feature, it’s the increasing percentage of power users who adopt it and the rising retention rate of those who do. The key metric is trend lines, not point-in-time snapshots. You’re looking for the upward and rightward curve.