You Know You Can, But Should You?

Debbie is the MD of a successful and very busy business but is continually battling the in-tray because she has found it difficult to delegate. She started the business and knows how to do everything and most of the time she does!

But she struggles finding time to plan and work on the business. So, whilst I was coaching her this week, she told me that she had decided to put a little voice on her shoulder to help her stop doing the small stuff that someone else can do! Her little voice is there to remind her that although she can do it, she shouldn’t be doing everything. The phrase is “I know that I can do it but should I be doing it”?

As a business owner, like Debbie, you're probably used to doing it all; all of the time. You'll tell your business coach that it saves you money by doing it that way and it will get done. Yes, on both counts, although I'm sure that the ‘getting it' done by you will mean, at the weekend!

I believe that every business owner should be drawing £100,000 a year, that’s what you are worth! So that means that you cost of business £59 per hour. On the flip side you need to be delivering 10 times that value back to the business and you can't do that if you are spending all of your time doing the small stuff? All the stuff that someone without your expertise, experience or cost can do very well.

I know you can do it and do it very well, but there comes a time when you shouldn't be doing it at all. After all, as Debbie said to me “I can jump off a building but should I”? You must concentrate on the important work that is going to move your business forward and allow you to take advantage of the opportunities that arise.

As a start-up business learning to bootstrap and keep costs and control was critical to your survival. You've survived and achieved sales traction but now you just don't seem to have the time to do it all. Something must give. Can you give some of your in tray away to someone who can do it better and probably do it quicker than you can?

Related Article : Delegate, Automate, Terminate 

So, if you're still buying the tea, coffee and the toilet rolls; booking the car servicing, organising your IT, sweeping the floor or doing the books to you need to stop right now. Ask yourself whether you should be doing that task, or should you be concentrating on something that will move the business forward and make improvements?

At some point, hopefully before you fall off the edge of the cliff, we must let go. The small stuff must go to someone else who probably does it better than you. It's time to delegate terminate and automate some of your to-do list.

Give your business a real chance to grow; ditch the small stuff and concentrate on those big opportunities right now.