HOW CREATING SYSTEMS ALLOWS THE BUSINESS TO THRIVE WITHOUT YOU (YES YOU, THE BUSINESS OWNER)
As an entrepreneur, you dream of turning a brilliant idea into a successful business, having a flexible schedule, and achieving financial freedom. Too often though, dreams are dampened by stress, bottlenecks, market changes, people issues...the list goes on and on. All you want to do is sit back, close your eyes, and imagine yourself actually working on that list of "Important, Not Urgent" projects, productive staff, efficient operations, and most importantly, a balanced life.
In a small town, Mr. Jacobs was known as a brilliant business owner and a devoted family man with three kids and two dogs. He ran a successful shop for eight years, treating his 15 staff members like family. His dedication to the business was unmatched, often working up to 80 hours a week during busy times. This commitment, however, meant sacrificing precious moments with his loved ones.
Despite having a competent team he trusted, Mr. Jacobs insisted on reviewing every detail before anything was finalized, creating a bottleneck in operations. The business faced challenges when key staff were away: invoices weren't sent without the bookkeeper, deals stalled without the sales manager, and content creation paused without the copywriter/editor. These single points of failure highlighted a deeper issue—there were no standardized processes in place, making it tough to train new employees efficiently.
"SYSTEMology
Mr. Jacobs's hands-on approach was inadvertently hindering the growth of his business and affecting his family life. To move forward, the business needs to establish clear, simple, written systems and processes for everyone to follow - so responsibility can be delegated to his capable team. This would ensure the company's smooth operation, even in his or any employee's absence, and allow him to spend the cherished time with his family that he had been missing.
Business owners have a lot on their plates. This is the understatement of the century. With the best of intentions, they try to ensure everything runs smoothly, but inadvertently create problems instead of solving them.
Here are 4 reasons entrepreneurs trap themselves in their business, and how systems can help:
- Trying to do Everything Themselves
- Micromanaging
- Resistance to Change
- Lack of Shared Knowledge
1. Trying to do Everything Themselves
Some business owners try to handle every single task by themselves. They think no one else can do it right. This can slow things down because there's only so much time in a day. Handing over responsibilities to others can be scary. Owners might worry that if they're not in control, things will go wrong. But when they don't delegate, they become the bottleneck. This means all those tasks pile up on the owner's desk.
💡Impact of Change: Resolving this situation through effective delegation increases efficiency, allowing business owners to focus on strategic tasks while reducing bottlenecks. It also boosts employee morale and skill development by trusting team members with responsibilities. This leads to a more scalable and resilient business, fostering innovation and improving overall work quality.
2. Micromanaging
I don't think I need to explain this...but for those lucky enough to have never had a micromanager, it's when an someone watches and controls every part of the work very closely. It can make employees feel like they can't make decisions on their own, which slows down progress.
💡Impact of Change: When business owners avoid micromanaging, employees feel empowered to make decisions, leading to increased efficiency and faster progress. This autonomy boosts employee morale and engagement, fostering a more innovative and productive work environment. Plus, no one likes managers.
3. Resistance to Change
I don't think I need to explain this...but for those lucky enough to have never had a micromanager, it's when an someone watches and controls every part of the work very closely. It can make employees feel like they can't make decisions on their own, which slows down progress.
💡Impact of Change: When business owners embrace new technology and methods, they can enhance operational efficiency and stay competitive in a rapidly changing market. This adaptability allows businesses to innovate and grow, preventing them from falling behind. Ultimately, it ensures the business remains relevant and successful in the long term.
4. Lack of Shared Knowledge
When the 'how-to' manual is in the business owner and a select few employee's heads, every new task is a challenge. This makes it hard for anyone else to step in and help. Each person might have their own way of doing things, which can cause inconsistency and mistakes.
💡Impact of Change: Implementing standardized procedures and documentation allows any team member to perform tasks consistently, reducing dependency on a few individuals. This enhances productivity, minimizes errors, and ensures smoother operations and easier onboarding of new employees.
Running a successful business requires more than just hard work and dedication; it demands strategic delegation, openness to change, and effective knowledge sharing.
After implementing standardized processes in his business, Mr. Jacobs experienced a transformation so profound, it was like a fairy godmother waved her magic wand. Picture this: his shop went from resembling a chaotic battlefield, to an operation so smooth it would make NASA jealous.
No longer did Mr. Jacobs feel like he was starring in his own personal sitcom, juggling a million tasks while desperately trying to keep his cool. Instead, he became the conductor of a well-orchestrated symphony, with his team playing the instruments of productivity like pros.
Mr. Jacobs traded late nights at the office for early dinners with his family, happy hour with friends, and weekends were no longer about work - but about wild adventures and epic fun.
➡️ In our next post, we'll look at 3 processes to implement NOW, that will have an immediate positive impact on your business.