Growing a business isn’t easy, and there is no such thing as guaranteed success. As a business owner, you want to do all you can to help your business grow. And when that growth isn’t as fast as you like, there’s no shortage of things to blame. But what if you’re the problem? What if it’s you that’s holding your business back?
It’s not always easy to accept that you’re the problem. But as with anything in business, don’t focus on the problem – look for a solution! Here are 7 steps you can take to solve the problem and help get your business back on track.
1) Get out of your own way
If you’ve assessed the other areas of your business and are sure you’re the issue that’s holding it back, acknowledge that and move on. Don’t get caught up in blame and regret – these things happen, and you’re only human. And that’s all ok.
Now it’s time to get out of your own way. Learn what you need from the experience and use this insight to move forward again. Do you need to get more organised to get stuff done? Maybe you need a better routine, or do you need to automate more in your business? Forgive yourself for the part you played, then congratulate yourself for seeing and acting on it – because that’s what you’re now doing.
2) Know (and accept) your limitations
When you first started your business, there’s a high chance you had to do everything yourself. Sometimes, that meant doing things outside of your zone of genius or completing a job to a less than satisfactory level.
But as your business grows, it’s now time to accept that you can’t – and shouldn’t – do it all yourself. Know your limitations and embrace them. Hire a team that enhances your business and fills in those skills gaps for you, so you don’t have to do it all alone anymore. If you want your business to move forward, it’s what you need to do.
3) Focus on your strengths
Talking of your zone of genius – do you know what yours is? Your strengths are the things you should continue doing in your business. Often, they’re the very things that made you want to start your business in the first place. So, remind yourself of what those strengths are and then focus on enhancing and growing them further. Plan your work around them, so they’re the essential tasks you do and outsource everything else.
4) Get support
If you want to stop holding your business back, get the right support team in place. Do you need to outsource to a team or hire a business mentor to help direct you on the right path towards reaching your goals? You may feel that you need support at home so that you can focus on your work. That can include a nanny, housekeeper, cleaner or even a dog walker! Do what you need to do to get the support you need.
5) Drop the need for total control
A need for control can hold many a business owner back from the growth and success they want. You’ve poured your heart and soul into your business, working many hours and often forsaking other areas of your life in the process. So, it’s understandable that you’ll want to keep as much control of it as possible.
But that need for control isn’t helping. You need to learn how to gradually release your grip a little, so you can give your business the room and space it needs to grow and expand. Start small and gradually increase how often you hand something over to someone else or relax about the outcomes. It takes time to change this one, but it will help stop you from doing everything yourself, micromanaging tasks and generally getting stressed over every element of your business.
6) Know where you’re headed
Sometimes you may be holding your business back simply because you don’t know where you’re headed. Have a clear business plan. Break down your goals into quarterly action steps and ensure you’re being organised with your to-do list and direction.
7) Track your progress
It’s one thing to know where you’re headed, but you also need to check and track your progress! That way, you can course-correct as needed and make any adjustments to your actions and direction. Ensure that all goals you set for your business are specific and trackable. Set aside a regular time slot to review your progress and monitor results, so you can stay accountable and on track.
It’s not always easy when you realise you’re holding your business back from the success you want. But it is solvable. Go through the process above to get clear on how you’re holding your business back. One of the most common ways you could be doing this is by doing tasks that aren’t suited to you. This could be down to your strengths or limitations or a desire to retain control of everything.
If you want to manage your time more effectively and stop holding your business back, you need to start outsourcing more of those tasks. Here at Virtual Hand, we are equipped with the team you need to free up your time, get more organised and help you grow your business. So why not book a call to discover how that could look for you, working with a team with Michelle at the helm can only mean one thing; focus, interest in you and your business as well as accountability and ticking off those goals.
