Taking a well-deserved holiday as a business owner might seem intimidating, but it can significantly benefit your business’s long-term success. PROTRADE United, business coach to trades, offers a five-step plan to not only let you enjoy your holiday but also enhance your business’s self-sufficiency and profitability.
Five-step plan to success
STEP 1: SCHEDULE YOUR BREAK WITH AN EXTRA DAY
Plan your return by adding an extra day before officially getting back to work. This buffer provides uninterrupted time to assess the situation and understand what went wrong during your absence.
STEP 2: CATEGORISE THE CHALLENGES
Upon your return, list issues that emerged during your time off into three groups:
- Mistakes: Clear errors with right and wrong answers.
- Bottlenecks: Projects stalled due to your unavailability for guidance.
- Stalled Projects: Initiatives dormant without your driving force.
STEP 3: ENHANCE YOUR PROCESSES
Address mistakes made during your absence, often resulting from a lack of documented procedures or inadequate training. Create checklists, instructions, or procedures for future situations. Share these well-defined processes with your team via filesharing platforms for consistency.
STEP 4: ELIMINATE BOTTLENECKS
If your input was required during your absence, it signals bottlenecks. Clarify which projects genuinely require your involvement and empower your team to take charge. Provide support and training on problem-solving and decision-making, encouraging them to make decisions without fear.
STEP 5: DELEGATE STALLED PROJECTS
Evaluate your suitability to lead stalled projects, categorising them into strategic and operational. Retain involvement in strategic projects but delegate operational tasks to better equipped team members.
Creating a comprehensive systems and procedures manual for key operational tasks is pivotal in reducing your business’s dependence on you, ensuring continuity in your absence.