THE ART OF LETTING GO: DELEGATE TO ELEVATE YOUR BUSINESS
Launching a new business is a crazy, exciting adventure. From day one your “normal” workday can consist of answering endless phone calls to making minor repairs around the office. However, as your business grows, you won’t have time for these day-to-day responsibilities. Your business will need your attention in a different way. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to do it all and keep your sanity.
One of the toughest growing pains for an entrepreneur is trusting others with your business. We’ve been there. It’s hard to let go of the systems and products you’ve built from scratch, but your business will go on if you don’t oversee every detail.
To elevate your business to the next level, here’s what we recommend:
Wear fewer hats
Think about all the hats you wear in your business. You are likely operating as CEO, CFO, HR, PR, head of sales, and occasionally even janitor! What do you like about these titles, and what do you love? Consider delegating some of the responsibilities you don’t love to your team members. It’s a win-win, because not only will it lighten your load and let you focus on the things you love, it will also help your employees grow and develop in their careers.
Work “on” the business instead of “in” the business
Instead of running the day-to-day operations, spend your time working on big-picture tasks like problem solving, writing/refining business plans, and hiring key positions for your company. Working “on” the business instead of “in” it will propel your business forward.
Consider hiring a professional manager
Professional managers are experienced professionals from outside your company who have proven experience running divisions and managing operations. Hiring them to oversee a part of your business makes a night and day difference in efficiency and growth.
We know this is not an easy move to make. If you’re like most entrepreneurs, a crucial part of your identity is wrapped up in your business. Bringing in professional management automatically puts a different stamp on the “personality” of the business, and it may be hard to let that happen. It’s important. If you choose not to bring in professional management, you are severely limiting how much your business can grow.
Here’s a rule of thumb to help you as you learn to delegate: Only do those things you are world-class at doing. Consistently delegate away the tasks that you are NOT world-class at doing, that cause you stress, and are time consuming because they are not in your wheelhouse.
When you are operating at your best, you can deliberately integrate your business and personal lives and plan those shared experiences with the people who matter most in your life.
What tasks have you successfully delegated? Tell us on Facebook and Instagram!