The several years in business, I did every job in the company. In fact, those first years are a blur because most of it was spent doing client work. It was the very definition of a “boot-strapping” small business owner – just trying to make something work. The problem is I spent all my time working in the business and not working on it.
Running a successful business is not an easy task. You have to know what your strengths and weaknesses are in order for you or others on the team can best work with them while still compromising when necessary so there’s no one person taking all of the weight (i.e., micromanaging). There will always be some tasks given by someone else, but if I’m focusing too much time doing jobs other people could do instead then guess who gets stuck? Me!
Leadership is about identifying your strengths and playing to them. If you’re constantly spreading yourself thin by micromanaging every little detail, it’s time for a change of pace–you might be doing just enough work that other people could take over without any problem at all!
The key thing here in determining how efficiently we can use our energy as leaders is understanding where each person excels so he/she has their best chance at success while also staying true to what makes us happy outside job responsibilities.
You’re not a one-man-band. You need to delegate if you want your company’s best chance for long-term success and happiness! Here are some ways that I’ve found helpful:
- Delegate tasks that don’t require strategic thinking or creativity, like answering emails and doing paperwork (or anything related). These can wait until next week so they won’t distract from more important work during this time period;
- Make clear guidelines about what needs to be done when by whom – communicate these expectations clearly with everyone who will have access tp information concerning them via email/handwritten note, etc.;
- Assign someone else in the office as the backup person responsible for certain areas
If you are the “CEO” of your business. You have a responsibility to spot problems and delegate solutions so that you can focus on future goals while still providing people with motivation in growing their own careers within this company.
Working on your business is more than just getting ahead in the day-to-day. It’s also an opportunity to delegate so that you can continue being a visionary and troubleshooter for others while giving them responsibility too! You may find this difficult if used to doing everything yourself but when employees appreciate how much trust their boss places upon them – especially during tough times like these ones we’re experiencing now – they’ll become better at leading with confidence as time goes by.
Now go and start working on your business, not just in it.
I am rooting for you!