Did the summer deliver for you?

Last week I was speaking with a friend who owns a busy estate agency. She ended up working every morning on her laptop by the swimming pool to keep things running back at base - whilst juggling 3 young kids.

She said it was still a good break - but it definitely isn't going to be like that next year!

Even if you know you have a reliable team, they have years of experience, you pay them good salaries - sometimes you end up with every decision coming back to you.

I went part time when I had my daughter 7 years ago, and very little day to day issues come anywhere near me these days. That was quite intentional, so here are a few of my tips on getting out of the day to day, and ensuring you have holidays with no laptops (see terrible photo above!)

1. Be clear about the responsibility you are delegating - does your team member know what decisions they are able to take without additional sign off? I think this often works as a process over a number of weeks or months. In your one-to-one time together encourage them to come with solutions not problems, challenge them to think deeper if they aren't quite on the money yet, and then affirm their decisions, even if they choose to do things in a different way to you. Over a couple of months it is highly likely you will agree boundaries together, which will be inline with your company values. Then you can start saying things like 'you don't need to ask me about this stuff anymore, I trust your judgement'.
2. Have systems and processes - ideally written down. So there are already answers available to common questions. A huge step forward for us at People Puzzles was when we had clear ways that things were done. Contracts. Processes. Letters already written. That narrowed down the decisions that needed to be taken and speeded everything up.
3. Put in a plan for when you aren't going to be there - make sure you book a few days in your diary before times when you are going to be out of the office in order to do any last minute training or delegating. Be really clear about expectations and maybe even practice some conversations your team need to have in your absence.
4. Get better at stepping back - the more your team can step forward and be autonomous, the less you need to do. And actually if you can get this going at all levels of the organisation from the juniors upwards, the more work will be being done at the right level. It is really worth considering some team training - communication, taking responsibility, holding difficult conversations, managing upwards just to name a few. It can get the whole office talking, and really oil the wheels of communication.

Now what have I missed? I really must go and put my feet up...