How much would your business be worth if you weren’t there to run it?

If you run an owner-managed business then the chances are that it is, quite frankly, practically worthless.

That’s because you are your business, if you are taken out of the equation then there is nothing left.

How often do you spend valuable time on the day to day stuff rather than the actual running of your business. Do you ever say to yourself ‘I’ll just do that myself, no-one else can do it as well as I do?’.

As much as we all love to feel that we are indispensable, I’m afraid that it simply isn’t true. All you need are employees with a little common sense and the ability to follow instructions. Hopefully, your hiring policies ensure that you have these people in your team!

Now I’m not saying that anyone can do it better than you. After all, it’s your business and I’m positive that your way is the best way, but that is the point. Teach others your way so that you know that the task will be done the exact way you would do it. As long as you know that, you will not feel the need to do it yourself.

Systemise

The best way to do this is to fully systemise your business. Basically, you need to create an ‘idiot’s guide’ to operating your business.

There are lots of tools, help and advice out there to do this but you can also do this in house.

Obviously, I’m not suggesting that you take a few months out to sit there writing this guide, rather that you spend the time in teaching someone else the process.

Conscientious employees write notes. Just ask them to type up the notes they made so that a trainee could follow them.

Benefits

Even if you aim to do just one system a week, it will have a positive impact on your business. Along with increasing the value of your business, you will find that as you have less to do in the business, you can do more on the business, thereby increasing the growth and profits. A sytemised business is worth so much more

Also, it’s a really good idea to re-visit systems so that you can ensure you are do everything in the most efficient and effective way. Businesses that have been successful for many years are all on a journey of continual improvement. They know that in order to maintain excellent standards you have to constantly adapt.

Additionally, I have seen systemising the business used as a fantastic team building exercise. If you give everyone an input then they will take ownership of the system. I have attended some pretty heated systems meetings, which is great, it meant that we were passionate about what we were trying to achieve.

Sometimes the hardest thing is to let go. Unfortunately, if you want to remain indispensable then you will pay the price later!

Please let me know how you get on, I would love to hear about it.

Vikki