Double down on Your Strengths They Said (the flip side of not paying attention to your weaknesses)
We’ve all heard it at least once, “Double down on your strengths, and delegate the rest.”
At it’s core, this is good advice, but only when executed correctly, because when you full on delegate the things that you you are no good at, many business owners and entrepreneurs just ignore the thing.
THIS CAN CRUSH YOU IN BUSINESS.
Many years ago when I was growing my fitness business, I realized I hated admin work. I hated billing, responding to emails, and fielding facebook messages and posts. It took me too much time, made me cranky, and I consistently procrastinated gettin er done.
So I hired someone to do my admin work.
I had no idea what I was going to have them do.
I had no idea how much to pay.
I had no idea how I would follow up if things got done.
Or how I would adjust, and course correct if they didn’t.
Afterall, hiring out what I was no good at, would leave me time to do the things that I was good at, and enjoyed in the business.
What could possibly go wrong?!?
Employees always do what they are hired to do… or at least that’s what I thought.
The problem with this approach is, I took my eye off the ball, and provided ZERO accountability, minimal instruction and training and just figured my new hire would FIGURE IT OUT, and it would all be good.
Wrong!
Disaster!
Three months into my time with this employee, nothing had gotten done, No billing, emails weren’t responded to, and Facebook viewed me as an unreliable business because of the stacked up messages in the inbox.
I had paid this person to get things done, assumed they were a mind reader, and would just get the work done, the work I had hired them for- which I didn’t even know what exactly they were supposed to do.
Unfortunately this story is not a story that is unique to my early experience growing a business.
I’ve known people over the years who let this kind of airiness and lack of accountability cost them money in lost wages, their own personal peace and sanity, and their business.
The solution is simple- not easy- but simple.
Know what you need done
Set expectations with your team members
Create a communication cycle (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc)
Follow up on progress and completion
Ask what they need from you along the way.
If you want to successfully grow a company that will outlive you, you have to treat it like a company and never take your eye off the ball. Jut because you aren’t the one doing the work, doesn’t mean you stop paying attention to the work that’s getting done.
Do not mistake this as permission to micromanage. You will never work harder than when you you try to micromanage someone else’s work, plus your own.
This is me saying, get clear on what it means for the people who work for you to win in their work. Everyone wants to be a winner.
Everyone wants to know that their efforts mattered.
As a leader, boss, and business owner it’s your job to not only breathe life into your business, but to breathe life into those who are growing your business along side you.
If you are trying and failing to grow and manage your team and internal structures I might be able to help. It all starts with the right hire. Get my free Dream Team Help Wanted Ad Template here https://www.themommabossmethod.com/dream-team
Let me know in the comments what your biggest issue when it comes to hiring is?