When I launched my coaching business I began to write more and more. Since I was very young, I have always loved to write. I would write stories, my friends would illustrate them and then we would put together little books to share with our younger siblings. Writing has always been part of what I love to do and what comes naturally to me.
Editing… not so much.
You see, I have no patience. Literally. I don’t! I always want to go from idea to action and results immediately. This can be a great strength-- I’m very productive and efficient. But at the same time, this trait can be a really big threat to quality, consistency and discipline.
And I’m aware of that.
So, as I began to publish blogs and send newsletters-- like this one-- I soon realized I needed help. I couldn’t just write and press send right away. My writing needed to be cleaned up and edited. Even my 14 year-old daughter said to me, “Mama, you need an editor, want to hire me?”
The editor came along-- just in time-- as everything always does. A past colleague of mine, a neighbor and friend responded to one of my emails. She was sweet and compassionate but straightforward. She recognized editing was not one of my unique gifts. She’s known me long enough to know that I can be impatient and that when I’m in my most creative mode, I can’t slow down. So she said, “You need an editor and I can help you.”
Needless to say, I said YES, with a big sigh of relief and gratefulness. I knew she would be brilliant at respecting my voice while ensuring the quality and proper grammar for communicating my message.
And I know she is smiling right now as she edits this piece ;-). Thank you Linda!
Why do I bring this topic up?
Because recognizing our unique gifts, our unique brilliance is the first step towards leveraging ourselves for GROWTH!
When we wear all the hats in our companies, it is almost impossible to bring your value to every task. No, actually it IS impossible. You might be good at some of the things you do, excel at others, but be detrimental at other tasks. Like me with editing.
And this is the first step towards DELEGATING. Delegating to others who have the unique skills and talents for those tasks you don’t excel at. It takes CLARITY, it takes humility and it takes trust; but it is the only path towards GROWING your business.
Leveraging is defined as using your existing resources to the maximum capacity. In this case, for YOU, the business owner wearing multiple hats, it means getting CLEAR on your resources and maximizing each one of them.
So here are four questions that will help you get CLEAR and begin delegating:
What do you LOVE to do? In an email last week I asked you what you would do for free all day long? This question is along the same lines: What are you REALLY good at and never get tired of doing? For me, the answer is simple. I love figuring out the strategy to resolve a situation--whatever that might be.
What are you really good at BUT would not do for FREE all day long? Write down the things you currently have to do as a part of your work but are OK with letting go of. (These are things you enjoy doing to some extent-- but would not do all day long.)
What are you good at but don’t LOVE doing? These are tasks that you can do, but you always leave to the last minute because they either make you tired, you don’t enjoy them or they take a lot of time to complete.
What are you really NOT good at? These are tasks you really should NOT be doing -- because it’s likely you are only costing the company money when you decide to take these on.
Once you have the answers to these four questions, look at your answer for question #4. Whatever these tasks are, STOP DOING THEM NOW! No budget to hire someone to do it? Find someone who loves these tasks and barter with them--exchange what you love to do with what they love to do (and what you are really bad at).
Needless to say, this strategy is good in any situation: whether it is distributing chores around the house, tasks within your team in your corporate job or in running your own business.
If YOU are ready to take your business to the next level, join me on Tuesday, January 19, 2016 for a BUSINESS MAKEOVER LIVE WEBINAR!
During this webinar, I will offer TWO entrepreneurs a FREE BUSINESS MAKEOVER right there on the webinar!
We will also discuss key business topics such as finding your niche, delegating and aligning your work with your passions.
Space is limited for this virtual event, so grab yours now and apply to receive a FREE BUSINESS MAKEOVER for YOUR BUSINESS.
Have a friend who can use this information? Simply forward this email to your friends.
I look forward to connecting with you next week on the LIVE WEBINAR,
