Entrepreneur Olivia Lockey is the owner of Northumberland’s award-winning luxury wedding venue and glamping site, Northside Farm, in Horsley, Northumberland.
As a business owner, I know I take it all on. I am sure as business owners or leaders that you all take it all on too. We work harder, put in more hours squeezing every last ounce we can into the day, and you do all the jobs that need to be done. When you are starting out or setting up there is no choice. You are the one it ultimately falls back on. You know the saying, if you want something done, ask a busy person.
However, as you grow the business and expand your team it’s hard to step away from the mentality of having to do everything, and learning to step back is actually a place that I am in currently and it’s difficult.
I need to take time out from the day-to-day running of the business – I can’t be at the forefront answering the calls, putting in the orders and doing the payroll whilst concentrating on expanding and growing the business because it becomes impossible. Then you feel that nothing is getting your full attention because you are so thinly stretched.
Oh, the art of delegation is something I am learning and shall we say working towards, however letting go and handing responsibility to people in my team on things that I don’t need to be involved in is actually freeing up my time. If they don’t do it exactly the way I do things, does it matter? No. As long as it gets done and efficiently then I can let go of it.
I recently worked with a business consultant working on a behavioural map which made so much sense as to my working behaviour and why certain things don’t get done quickly whilst other things do. It highlighted the areas that just don’t interest me. I decided to assess my whole team which was a game changer as it showed clearly where the strengths were and I was then able to delegate tasks that suited them best. It has also shown me where certain gaps are and will aid me in my next round of recruitment.
Knowing where strengths lie is a game changer within the business and has given me a better understanding and insight into my team. I think they appreciate that I can delegate tasks to them that not only play to their strengths but also things that they enjoy doing.
The lesson for me was to let go and then see what happens. And I have been pleasantly surprised!