As in all things, trying to take too much control of your business will only lead to a disaster. Because you find it difficult to entrust certain functions of your business to others, what you do instead is to stay on top of things and, to put it bluntly, be such a control freak. If you truly want your business to grow, you have to let go a little bit. This 2014, here are some tips that will allow you to step back and watch your business come full circle.
1. Recognize when it’s becoming a problem.
When you are too involved in your business that you never rest or take a vacation, and the list of things you have to do just goes on and on, then that’s a sign that you’re approaching the point of getting burned out. When you’re micromanaging your employees and getting to everyone else’s nerves, that’s when you know that you have to take a step back.
2. Start expanding your workforce.
If you’re running the business by yourself, perhaps it’s time to get a part-time assistant who can help you cover the basics like taking phone calls, preparing the invoices, and filing the necessary documents. Another option is to outsource certain functions to a specialist, like a marketer or an accountant to manage aspects of the business that are simply not within your area of expertise.
3. Involve employees in the decision-making process.
Here’s a tip that will hit two birds with one stone: encourage team work within your company and empower your employees to make business decisions. As long as you provide guidelines and let them know the impact of their decisions, letting your employees call the shots can actually be good for business. It will result in more motivated and empowered employees.
4. Delegate tasks.
Delegation is a double-edged sword. Delegate crucial tasks to incapable employees, and you’ll end up having to redo everything. But if you delegate to employees who are quick learners and have the potential to be good leaders, and you just might uncover talent waiting to be discovered.
5. Be in charge.
Now that you’ve loosened the reigns a little bit, how do you take charge of the business? You need to stop micromanaging and being obsessive, and instead start mentoring your employees. Encourage leadership, set the boundaries, and establish yourself as the paramount authority. With these, you’ll maintain authority over your business without being such a control freak.