Do you really need to be good at everything?
Stop and think for a minute. Do you really need to be good at everything?
No, you don’t!
Would you hire somebody who only does half a good job? Probably not.
Would want somebody who could really do an excellent job? Of course.
It is part of the Kiwi mentality of ‘do it yourself ‘and number eight fencing wire will fix it’. If it’s not something you are good at you could learn or get somebody else to do it for you.
As we grow our business it is hard to let go of tasks. You’ve done that job before so why shouldn’t you keep doing it? I’ll tell you why.
When we do those tasks we are only halfway good at it hurts us twice. How?
- It takes one heck of a lot longer to do the task than somebody who is competent in the job and\
- It takes us away from things we should be doing and are good at that add value to the business.
Yes, doing difficult tasks builds character and helps us get out of our comfort zone. Both are needed if you are to build a great company. However that is only part of the story.
I suggest you build a list of the things that you love doing and are very good at and those you loathe. Don’t spend too much time on each task just let it flow and put down what comes to mind.
Now review your list.
What are your strengths and competencies that deliver the most value to your business and you love doing? These are probably the ones you are very good at and love doing. Keep those.
Of the things, you loathe what could you stop doing without any negative effect on the business, could delegate to somebody else or contract out?
Remember the three “D’s “– do it, dump it or delegate it.
What are the tasks you are not so good at?
These are probably the ones you loathe. Could you delegate it to somebody else in your company who would do the job better and quicker than you? Ok you might need to invest a little time to train the person and explain exactly the outcomes you are looking for. Believe me it is time well spent. The spin off here is that you develop your people and show that you believe in them.
I have had clients who were really good at one area of the business but felt they “had to” wear the hats they loathe. For example, a business owner who was a technical specialist didn’t have strengths in and loathed general management so needed to make some changes if the business was to survive and grow. A restructuring of the business and reallocation of responsibilities brought him a new lease on life, gave others new challenges and helped get the business back on track. Remember you can’t grow your business – only your people can.
You don’t need to do everything yourself.
Build a great team around you that all play to their strengths and watch your business thrive.
An alternative to adding competencies to the business is to hire a consultant. A consultant or business coach can help you develop yourself and your team. Yes, as a consultant I do have a bias with this one.
Areas businesses look to for a helping hand.
- Developing or clarifying their strategy.
- Gaining focus and narrowing down goals and objectives so you are not spreading yourself too thin.
- You need to fix a problem
- You have a temporary resource gap that needs filling
- You need to gain alignment within the business or
- You need to develop leadership in your team
If you are unsure about how to make this happen and to make your business easier, less complex and more profitable email info@strategicfit.co.nz for a no-obligation discussion.