My wife, Lisa, is a kindergarten teacher, and nearly 30 years ago she insisted that we had to do something over her spring break. It's become a bit of a tradition for us, as has my annual update from the beach.
For the first few years, I was nervous to leave my business at this time of year. It's the busy season, and I worried about how my team would fare without me in the office. Looking back, this trip has been one of the biggest growth motivators for our company. Watch the video below to learn how my team and I managed to use these trips as a growth opportunity, both for them and for me:
I have a great team at Grunder Landscaping Co., and I don't worry anymore when I go out of town. They have everything under control, and we have a well-documented process that helps things run smoothly when anyone on our team is out of the office.
The most successful businesses are the ones that aren't reliant on the owner, or any one person, to do everything. Nobody can work 100% of the time, and a business with systems to operate when someone isn't there makes the company more resilient to the unexpected. Delegating and empowering team members helps companies run smoother and often makes the business better.
I was a bottleneck in my own business for too long, and the cracks showed when we would get busy every spring. Empowering my team to do more has driven our growth, and it's taken a tremendous amount of stress off of me too. This annual trip has shown both my team and me that they were capable without me.
Whether you have a trip planned this spring or not, take time this week to think through:
- What tasks could someone else on your team do as well or better than you can? Can you empower them to own that?
- What information would your team need to operate if you weren't available? How can you create a system so that information is there for them when you're out of the office or something unexpected happens?
- How can you find a way to get away and relax this month? Your getaway doesn't need to be elaborate; it just needs to be something that helps you feel refreshed. Downtime gives us a fresh perspective and a chance to rest so we can come back even better.
Have a great week, and find the chance to relax!
Marty Grunder
President & CEO
The Grow Group & Grunder Landscaping Co.