Dave Conde
Next Level Systems
Do you struggle letting go? Do you find yourself saying things such as "it is easier to do it myself" or "if you want something done right..."? These are common thoughts of the business owner. After all, you built this company from the ground up through your own hard work. You didn't listen to the nay-sayers or those who told you it wouldn't work. You were (and still are) determined to prove them wrong and put in the sweat equity to make it happen.
Well...it worked. You made something out of nothing and now you have a successful business. You have clients, employees and everything that comes with a thriving organization. From the start, you spent your days working your fingers to the bone and sleepless nights trying to get your invoices out or finishing those estimates you promised would be delivered by the next day. It was hard but the lost sleep and even time away from family was a small price to pay because you were determined to make it work.
This is a typical description of a budding business. Many entrepreneurs do not have the capital to hire help right away so they just do everything themselves. However, many do not change these tactics once the business achieves some stability. Why would they? Don't fix what isn't broken, right? Working 16 hour days has worked to this point so why change? Many of them have hired employees by this point but they are still taking on the lion's share of the workload. For many, the idea letting go of anything of substance is terrifying.
The fear is understandable. They worked so hard to build this business. Their business is like a child. They have loved it, nurtured it, given up much of their life for it and watched it grow.
Just like a child, that growth will stagnate if they hover too much. At a certain point, a child must be allowed to solve some problems on their own. The same can be said for a business. If the employees depend on the business owner to be the solution to every situation that arises, they don't grow. Eventually, the business levels off because the owner can only be spread so thin. They find themselves bogged down with administrative tasks. Additionally, the phone never stops ringing because they employees count on them to solve every problem.
I have seen this exact scenario play out dozens of times. The owner is frustrated. They cannot understand why their employees seem helpless and their business is no longer growing. The answer is usually apparent. The owner's passion and vision is typically what drives company growth. There is no one else who can represent the company with infectious enthusiasm and the results are evident when they do.
So how do we break out of this cycle of stagnation? It is time to let go...and let grow.
To understand how damaging this scenario can be, we must remember that the owner is often the company's most valuable asset. They are the "treasure". (read about that HERE). But they are buried by menial tasks and minor problems for fear of letting any of it go. It is important to remember the value of the owners time. For most business owners it easily exceeds $200 per hour. Thus the business is paying $200 an hour for someone to complete menial tasks and solve minor problems. The company's most valuable (and expensive) asset is being wasted. Would you hire and pay an employee $400K per year to handle administrative tasks such as these? Of course not!
"Put your best people on your biggest opportunities, not your biggest problems"
-Jim Collins, Good to Great
The question becomes, how does an owner "let go" without risking everything they built. The answer lies in recognizing that not letting go is by far the riskier path. We all know that a company that fails to grow, will often simply fail. Growth is essential. You do not have to become a Fortune 500 company but continuous growth, in some form, is essential to a healthy business.
So what to do? The answer is simple yet complex. It is easy for someone who is uninvolved to say "just let go". However, the actual process is often fraught with fear, emotion and anxiety. Every situation is different and an outside perspective is important to ensure that all of those emotions do not get in the way of good decisions. Slow and steady is typically the best path. Letting go of something small, even an insignificant task, can be a great first step. Eventually, it becomes easier to as the owner begins to see that these tasks can be effectively delegated.
At Next Level Systems, we can guide you through this process at a comfortable pace that you determine. We can help owners determine what tasks could be handled by others. We can show them how to develop processes that mitigate the risk involved in delegation. We demonstrate ways to provide oversight of these processes without direct involvement. It is important to understand that "letting go" does not mean forfeiting control. In fact, just the opposite is usually true. The business owner is taking back control of company growth, the team, their time and often their life.
If you find yourself in this situation, we would love to help you. However, you have options. An outside perspective is important but who provides that perspective is up to you. Be sure to choose someone who has a great deal of experience and has demonstrated the ability to guide business owners through this often frightening journey. Trust me when I tell you that the rewards far outweigh the fear once you set your mind to it.
It is time to let go...and let grow.
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