Yesterday I described the suffering of plants at my hands. It wasn’t pretty.
And while I can replace just about any living thing I kill with a few dollars and the Home Depot 6 month guarantee, it’s much harder to revive a dead business that has suffered from similar neglect.
The challenge that comes with a growing business and management is two fold:
1) growing to the point of needing additional support to keep your business running smoothly, and,
2) the added challenges of training, teaching, monitoring, mentoring and managing those you hire to support your life and business.
If you’ve ever thought about bringing someone in to support your life or business, what questions come up?
What if they don’t do things my way?
How do I know they’re doing the work?
What happens if they do a horrible job?
Isn’t it easier to do myself?
Why would I pay anyone to do what I can do myself?
What happens if they screw up everything?
Basically, how do I ensure that the help I hire doesn’t take more time and energy than they save me?
First, recognize that you’re probably not the right person to manage your business. Now maybe there was a time when you were the jack of all trades, solo entrepreneur who did everything, absolutely everything, yourself. But if you desire to grow and play a bigger game you can’t continue down that path.
Do you have the tendency to jump in and do the jobs you’ve hired others to do or find it hard to communicate clearly your expectations? Maybe it’s time to hire someone to manage the team for you.
I’m the Owner, I must Manage the Company.
Not necessarily. And let my mentor Tina Forsyth explain why:
“So when I hear this kind of frustration coming from a business owner it occurs to me that maybe they are holding on too tightly to certain elements of their business…. Part of what needs to happen to get over this speedbump is to get yourself out of the ‘thick of things’ – get your team in place (if you haven’t already) and delegate everything that doesn’t require you as the business owner to take care of it (so you can be free to focus on leadership and growth.)”
See focusing on the details, the how, on every single step it takes to reach your goals only distracts you from the role ONLY you can fill: that of the visionary leader focused on growing the company.
The right manager in your business is not just going to direct your support staff, they’re going to understand and believe in your vision, bring you the resources needed to go to the next level and track measurable progress to ensure your investments are bringing in the right returns.
What does that actually mean?
It means when you say, “I’d like to partner with so-and-so” your manager will work with you to create an offer, arrange the introduction, prepare everything you need for the meeting and follow up to determine if the partnership is a done deal.
The right manager will work with your team, setting up the call and details so you just need to show up, understand the language of your business and the benefits of such a partnership, and have a firm grasp on how this proposed partnership fits into your larger vision and goals.
No matter what your project is, you need someone who can take your vision, all the individual elements and design something that’s functional and beautiful and achievable. It doesn’t mean there’s no more work to do, but there’s a clear architecture of what pieces you need, where they will go and how the final product will look.
The second way the right manager ensures your team supports your business and doesn’t become a drain on your time and energy is that they manage the process for you.
We’ve all experienced at some point the “arm chair quarterback” who sits lazily and tells us what we should be doing, how we should change and adds no experience or value.
Avoid those people.
You want a manager who understands what you need from the team, communicates on your behalf, takes decisive action and knows when to bring you in to make a big decision. The rest of the time you’ll be focusing on the growth of your business, serving clients and having a bigger impact.
Your manager has your back and, in time, will earn your trust as more projects are effectively handled. It’s someone you can depend on to:
develop a telesummit
get you on stages and speaking at virtual events
manage a new program
launch a product
create amazing content to attract clients and leads
serve your clients
plan events
attract, evaluate and manage joint venture relationships
manage business functions like your calendar, domains, emails, newsletter, blog postings, social media and invoicing
If you’re thinking “I’ve never done most of those things… do I really need a business manager?” – join me tomorrow. And if you haven’t downloaded my free tool check it out! Download the Play a Bigger Game Business Playbook and learn more about how to grow your business.
Quote from Tina used with permission. See the full article here.
Tina Forsyth is the author of Becoming an Online Business Manager: Playing a Bigger Game with Your Clients and Yourself. She writes and consults in advanced online marketing and business systems for business owners and their support teams. www.OnlineBusinessManager.com