Business Owners: Time is your most valuable asset- stop wasting it!

What do I mean by this?

Wasted time = The time you spend working IN your business rather than ON your business (aka working "in the weeds").

This looks like…

• Getting caught up in the daily fires that occur. 
• Doing the work that your leaders should be driving. 
• NOT strategizing…
• NOT networking with other companies and business owners…
• NOT budget planning…
• NOT doing what is needed to ensure long-term growth and success for your business.

Why does this happen?

More often than not, it is due to business owners having leaders who are not capable and confident enough to run the business, which in turn does not allow you the time and focus it takes to work ON the business.

Let's take Mary, for example. She owns a business employing just over 100 employees, with ten leaders at varying levels. Her average day starts like this…

1. Arrive to work at 7:00 am (an hour before most)
2. Check emails coming from customers and suppliers- many of which are also addressed to her leaders who have not yet responded.
3. Begin planning her day…..as she sees multiple meeting requests pop up…

"Mary, I need this time to run something by you…"

"Good morning Mary, can I schedule this time to review XYZ with you…"

"Mary, I'm having challenges with Josh. Can you sit in on this 1:1 with me? I'm not sure what approach I should take here."

Suddenly, her "open" time to work on reviewing Q2 results and adjusting their strategy for Q3 is nonexistent.

"Well, I guess they need me for this, so….I'll do that tomorrow."

If you are anything like Mary, tomorrow looks the same as today, and plans to work ON the business get pushed further and further out….

How can you break this cycle?

Try these quick tips:

• Get clear with your leaders about what you need to provide approval for (Be specific here!).
• For cases that require approval, make sure they come to you with potential ideas/resolutions/actions to move forward, not just the look of bewilderment. 
• Provide them with a time block for these cases and hold them to using it for anything that isn't URGENT (i.e., needing a response immediately).

Now you will have:

1. Leaders that make decisions without your approval (because it's well within their decision-making realm).
2. Leaders who get in the habit of problem-solving on their own instead of running to you with every issue.
3. A small block of time where your leaders can stop by for quick approvals and guidance (this is now planned time).

Result:

Less unnecessary approvals are coming to you, fewer unscheduled "drop-ins," and more time to spend working ON your business.

What does it cost you to not implement techniques that will level-up the leadership capabilities of your leaders so you can spend more time working ON your business rather than IN it? 

Drop a comment below to let me know which of these 3 tips you will commit to trying out with your leaders.

P.S. Are you ready to escape the 24/7 workweek by increasing the confidence and capabilities of your leaders?

If so, be sure to download The Small Business Owner's Surefire Guide to Developing Confident Leaders.

This 17-page guide will immediately give you:

1. Key information as to how you, the business owner, are enabling your leaders to rely on you more than needed.
2. Case studies that show the results of empowering your managers to become confident leaders.
3. Action items to try so you can immediately begin instilling confidence in your leaders.

Richelle Jessey, CPC, ELI-MP, CLDS, is a leadership coach helping small to mid-sized business owners escape the 24/7 workweek by increasing the confidence and capabilities of their leaders. Her end goal is to enable business owners to spend more time working ON their business than IN it.