As a business owner, having a sense of control is just part of the job.
Whether you love it or hate it, having control, delegating, and handling many tasks yourself probably happens on a day-to-day basis. But while having control and taking care of tasks on your own can seem to be more efficient, many business owners overflood their to-do lists, overstress themselves, and provide poor service and inefficiencies as a result. In order to gain back control — although it may sound surprising — you have to learn to let go.
Why this is Challenging
As a business owner, letting go is far easier said than done. After all, you shed blood, sweat, and tears to grow your business to where it is today, so should you give up control now? Letting go is an art form for many business owners and is something that can be mastered. Do you find that any of the following resonates with why you find it difficult to let go?
You Want Things Done Right
One of the leading reasons why business owners aren’t very successful when giving up control is that they feel like they have to do everything themselves to get it done correctly. This can be brought on from past experiences or you just might feel that it will take up more time trying to help the person get it right than if you were to just do it yourself. Sure, there might be a learning curve and a period of teaching and educating, but that process can lead to empowering others to tackle important tasks; and that can lead to more free time for you, less chaos, and a more successful business altogether.
You’ve Had Bad Experiences
If you’re a person that typically has a lot of trust in others and you don’t necessarily love control, then you may struggle with letting go because you had a bad experience in the past with giving away control. If you’ve been a law firm owner for years, then chances are you’ve worked with some employees who weren’t ideal. Maybe it was one bad experience or several; but all in all, it could have had a strong impact on how you feel about giving up control. No one is perfect and there are going to be times when there will be disappointments and failures, but this a part of being a business owner. You have to move on, learn from mistakes, adapt and improve how to tackle delegating tasks in a way that will set others up for success based on their individual capabilities.
Trust is Key
The greatest law firm owners have an impeccable level of trust for their employees. Not only can this result in being able to let go and delegate resulting in more free time for you and a more efficient business, but it can also do wonders for empowering your employees. If they feel they have gained your trust and feel empowered to complete critical tasks, then that can make them feel more inclined to work their best. Trust goes an extremely long way for your team and the success of your business altogether, and — while it may take some time — trusting your employees can help crush chaos and open up your schedule.
Delegating Tips
Whether you’ve been an owner for years or you’re just starting out, delegating tasks is a challenge. And if you’re a control freak (like I once was), then delegating can seem impossible. But once you leap over that mountain and delegate often with trust, you can experience the type of law firm you’ve always wanted… and possibly take a vacation.
Here are 3 tips to delegating like a pro:
#1 Finding the Right Person for the Task
One of the key rules for delegating tasks is to ensure that you’re choosing the right person who’s skill sets and passion aligns with the task. Even if you’re pressured for time, taking the time to choose the right person can save tons of headaches in the long-run and improve employee retention.
#2 Delegate the Entire Task
Another tip is to delegate the entire task to one person, this gives the person a sense of responsibility and boosts their motivation. If the person doesn’t feel able to efficiently fulfill the entire task then let them know that they can enlist the help of whomever they feel appropriate to get the task done correctly. Do you see what is happening here… you are also teaching your employees how to delegate in a matter that is best to get things done efficiently.
#3 “Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.” -Aristotle
While it may be difficult, especially when things are busy and deadlines are tight, having patience and altering expectations will help ease the process of letting go. Having high expectations and limited tolerance for mistakes adds stress on others and to yourself. Just remember to adapt expectations, be clear and concise on what must be accomplished, and most importantly… make sure your employees feel comfortable asking you for additional clarity on how to best achieve what has been asked of them. Be patient, alter expectations, and be available.
Harness the System of Letting Go
If you harness the system of letting go, including some tips on how to do this with ease and crush chaos, then I invite you to join my retreat Systematize Your Law Business. This retreat will take a deep dive into the power of systems, which includes delegating tasks, building policies and procedures, and finding ways to free up your schedule while still building your empire!