We're small business owners.
By nature, we tend to do most things by ourselves.
We say we'll do it better.
We say we want things to be perfect.
We say we don't have time to show someone else how to do it.
You know what all this means?
You're Working at Half-Speed,
Half-Capacity!
One of the biggest mistakes small business owners make is trying to do it all. All the time.
(And believe me, I'm not pointing fingers -- I'm just as guilty. But I have been working on letting go a bit.)
One of the best things you can do for your productivity (and sanity) is to start delegating.
Find other qualified people who can do things that will lighten your load.
When you're doing something that seems tedious or on auto-pilot, ask yourself, who else can do this task which will allow me to do something more profitable?
The general rule is:
Delegate What Someone Else Can Do Better
Or Something This Is Below Your Pay Grade
Ross Perot (deceased), CEO of the Perot Group and former presidential candidate, said: "I surround myself with smart people, and I tell them what the goal is but I never give them any kind of checklist." I say, "Next year, we're going to the moon. You're in charge." That's how John F. Kennedy approached the lunar launch. He said, "Within ten years, we're going to put someone on the moon." He never told anyone how to do it, but it happened anyway."
(Wes Rogerts, Ph.D., "Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun").
All I'm saying is even if you can't fully let go and delegate everything, start with baby steps. You'll be shocked at how much more you can get accomplished.
