Expanding your business? Need to delegate? A key issue you’ll face is getting the right people into the right roles. Then empowering them
to be able to deliver.
Doing so is the only antidote for the all too common refrain, “I’m REALLY frustrated! Everything seems to sit on my shoulders. My staff don’t take responsibility, stuff doesn’t get done on time, mistakes happen. I’m working very long hours. I’m tearing my hair out!”
In a previous article we covered the importance of having an accountability chart which defines roles, responsibilities and KPIs.
With clear accountabilities your people know exactly what they’re really responsible for and can perform at their best. Which allows you to delegate and elevate yourself out of the areas that are not your core expertise, freeing up your time.
But how do you decide who the right people are for each role on your accountability chart?
There are two aspects to the answer.
Cultural fit and ability to perform the role.
Cultural fit means the person shares your organisation’s vision, values and beliefs. It’s essential every person in your team pulls in the same direction. You enjoy being around them and they make your organisation a better place.
Ability to perform the role.
When deciding, we’ll use the GWC method.
G: Get it – Do they understand the role in its entirety? Exactly what’s involved.
W: Want it – Do they want to do the role? I know it’s all hands to the deck – but people have to step up – and this is a way of finding out.
C: Capacity to do it – Do they have the capacity – knowledge, experience, time, emotional etc.
Every one of the GWC has to be a “yes” for this to succeed. While there’s certainly a case for training someone into the role, right now it’s more effective to select the right person according to their strengths.
Delegate and Elevate.
When you started, you occupied every role and were accountable for everything. In effect you sat in multiple seats.
But as you get busier, and reach 100% of your capacity, you need to start to delegate. When deciding what to delegate start by looking at your core expertise – what others can’t do and where your time is best spent. Keep doing these while delegating the rest. Doing the books etc.
But the only way this will work in practice is if you’re completely satisfied you have the right person in the right seat, or you’ll never let go.
So finding the right person and putting them in the right seat, giving them responsibility with accountability is key to your being able to scale. (I should point out you’re delegating, not abrogating. Smart leaders spot check that everything is still being handled correctly)
Anything else and you hold your organisation back from growth while likely burning out at some point.
Defining your organisation’s cultural values, accountability chart and right people in the right roles generally isn’t easy. Especially if you’ve grown organically.
We offer an objective view of your organisation which will assist you in creating an accountability system, with the right people in the right roles, enabling you to effectively delegate and elevate, growing your business.
Call Rashid on 0414 913 334 for a confidential discussion on how to move forward.
