Put the Right People Around You: 5 Simple, and Soul-Searching, Questions to Ask
Successful business owners know the importance of delegating. Yet, oftentimes, we try to do too much ourselves. By the time we realize we need to move things off of our plate, we’re swamped. Scattered. Maybe even flustered.
Finally, we say it:
“I need to hire someone.”
The mission is critical and right on point, however, the response is painfully vague. Hiring “someone” is one thing. Hiring the right person is much more challenging, time-consuming, and, in the end, rewarding. If you hope to eventually sell or hand off your business, you need to be able to rely on—deeply, truly, genuinely trust—your team. How do you find those people and build those relationships? Ask yourself:
What Is My Current Org Chart?
If you don’t have an organizational chart, you’re not alone. It’s a fundamental document that many owners overlook. Maybe you have it laid out in your head but not on paper, or perhaps you have an outdated chart lying around somewhere. Whatever the case may be, stepping back and seeing a clear picture of your organizational structure is a great place to start. In addition to showing gaps, it can also help you level-set your expectations for each person based on where they are positioned.
For example, if you’re critical toward your marketing manager because they don’t do a good job of onboarding new staff, the org chart will remind you that onboarding is usually the responsibility of a human resources manager. You may need to cut your marketing manager some slack!
What Is My Ideal Org Chart?
Before we begin pulling levers and impacting lives, we want to be sure we’re affecting change and not simply creating movement. On a separate piece of paper, map out how you envision your company functioning in its perfect form. What do you want to delegate? What do others want to delegate? You will get an instant snapshot of how you want your company to grow, along with a side-by-side comparison of where you are, where you want to go, and what roles you need to fill.
Who Do I Have?
Evaluate your current team to decide whether they can fill gaps in your ideal org chart. Going back to our example of a marketing manager wearing an HR hat, it may be a matter of simply moving HR tasks from the marketing manager to your human resources manager, if you have one.
As a business owner, you’re used to just doing what you need to do regardless of whose job it should be. Yet, employees expect you to recognize and leverage their strengths, both for their individual success and for the company’s success. After you pause and take time to do just that, if you realize there are still holes, the next big question comes…
Who Will I Hire?
Qualifications are only one part of the equation. You want the personality match. The culture fit. The growth potential. The spark. The synergy. Even when you think you’ve found the right person; it might be a good idea for both parties to have a rendezvous period of weeks or months before committing. And if they are the right one, the real question is…
Can I Let Go?
It’s tempting to do everything yourself—not because it’s what you want to do, but because it feels faster and safer than taking the time to find and train someone you can trust. Having a rock-solid team is better for your business and better for your life. It makes the journey more fulfilling, success more satisfying, and the exit more attainable.
Take heart – as a successful business owner, you most likely have a good start on building your team. Now is the time to step back and see where you can use more help.