I won't even attempt to broach the subject of letting go personally right now; that's a topic for two or three
blog posts, I'm talking about letting go professionally.
There seems to be a pervasive thought among some small business owners and entrepreneurs that the only way to get things done is to do it themselves. While that way of thinking may have been fine for getting their business started, it will sabotage any opportunity to grow that business in the future.
The feeling of wanting to do everything yourself in the beginning is completely understandable: this was your idea, your dream, and you gave it everything you had to make it a reality. When you are that involved of course it will be hard to let go and start to delegate things to others and trust that they will give it the same effort you did. But pat of letting go is surrounding yourself with a team of people that you have confidence in and know can handle whatever you give them, and that it will be done as good as or better than you could have done.
It takes a lot of strength to let go when you are a business owner because it may also mean that you have to admit to yourself that you just can't do the things you used to anymore, and that can be scary. You're going to let go of things you have been doing for a very long time to now focus on a new area of your business. While exciting, it's new and unfamiliar so there may be some anxiety that you may not even realize is keeping you from moving forward.
If you are a business owner working with a staff, letting go can instantly boost their morale and productivity because it shows that you trust them and believe in them enough to give them more responsibility. If you're outsourcing then it gives you the freedom to get back to what you love and not waste time on mundane daily matters. It will also allow you to cut back on hours and spend more time with family and friends and that is always important.
Letting go is not easy, but it is vital if you want to realize the full potential of your business and you'll both be better for it!
