Letting Go Is So Hard to Do

No, this isn’t the name of a song from the 60’s.  This is an issue I am seeing more and more with entrepreneurs in start-ups. This is their baby and they think they need to do it all.  Sadly, unless you never need to sleep or have a life outside the business you cannot grow if you do not delegate and share the work.

Aside from having others support so you can focus on your strengths and purpose in the business, having assistance helps you see other perspectives.  You have been too close to the action and others may see something you missed, which enables you to grow.

What are some of the simple steps you can take to eliminate the feeling of overwhelming and get the business on track for growth?

1. Assess your strengths what do like to do and what are you good at doing? Be careful here. Sometimes we do mundane tasks as a means of avoiding the big stuff.
2. Create an organizational chart of what the business could look like in 5 years. Write job descriptions for each position.  What skills should the individual have and what competencies.
3. Identify the areas you feel comfortable delegating
4. Here’s the tricky part; when you delegate set clear expectations and monitor the results as you go along. Be specific.
5. Create a culture of what the working environment should look like. Will it be a laid back relaxed place or high pressure, or something in between?
6. When you hire for the job descriptions, hire for growth. You want each person to grow with the company.  Just in time hiring is expensive and a waste of training time.
7. Identify key advisors who can be a sounding board and help you identify resources, discover your strengths and name those areas that need to be delegated first.

If you are feeling any of the symptoms listed:

• Begin to get overwhelmed with small details of office management, which takes your attention away from the big picture.
• Find yourself with no one to challenge your thinking, because you’re the only one with all the answers.
• Are not challenging yourself on a regular basis.

It’s time to let go so you can work on your business; focus on the reason you started in the beginning. Let go of what you’re comfortable doing. You always need to be thinking big and challenging yourself.

If you need a coach to keep you accountable and help you maneuver contact me.  harriet@trainingsolutions-hlc.com