Note: This is the second in a series of blog posts aimed at providing lessons learned from an experienced field service management business owner.
By David Crary
When I owned an irrigation management business, I was always afraid of delegating out tasks and roles that I was originally in charge of. I started this business from the ground up and was too afraid to let anyone else try to take over the roles I had taken on. I thought no one could do it the way I could and that everything would fall part if I didn’t handle the majority of tasks needed to run my business.
I was forced to change, however, and it was one of the best things that has ever happened to me. My wife had taken on a new job, which forced us to move away for a year. While I was still the owner of my irrigation business, I was no longer able to physically be there every day. This caused me to delegate out roles to my employees to handle while I was away. One of the main roles I needed to assign was a supervisor for the installation of irrigation construction. It was one of the best things I have ever done for my business. I put a trusted employee in charge of supervising the construction and every time I checked in or came back, things were running smoothly.
I’d be lying if I said the change didn’t stress me out at first. But the only reason I was stressed out was because of my own fears. Everything within my business was running smoothly, if not better than before. The guys all had a supervisor they could rely on because he was focused on this one task, whereas I was handling so many tasks at once that no one ever really got my full attention.
I am going to be blunt for a moment. There are people out there that can do your job better than you. With a mix of education and technology, there are newer generations that have access to more information and more advanced and efficient talents. There are others who specialize in communication processes and are better at managing teams. I have a team of developers who are obviously more capable of programming and developing a field service management software that works for the field service industry better than I can. I also have a financial advisor who understands the books and can “count the beans” far better than I ever could. My point is, why not have someone who is better than you at a task, job, or assignment working for you?
Giving up control is a scary thing. You are trusting someone else to take charge of something you have put your blood, sweat and tears in to. While scary, delegating roles and tasks is also one of the most freeing things you can do for yourself. You are no longer bogged down with a daunting number of tasks. You get to focus on your strengths, while other employees can focus on theirs.
By conquering my fear (or more so being forced into facing my fear), I became a better business owner, my business thrived, and my personal life benefited as well. The relief in stress I felt was the main benefit of delegating jobs. I had less on my plate, which meant more time for the things I truly excelled at and also more time for my personal life. I wasn’t stuck in the office after hours finishing up the pile of work that had built up over the day or week.
One of the best words of wisdom I can give about small business growth strategies is to delegate. Don’t fear it but rather embrace it. More things will get done making your business more productive and a more productive office will inevitably be more profitable. Your employees will also appreciate being given more responsibilities and being able to shine in what they do best. Everyone in your company can bring something to the table. Why else did you hire them? Whether you are a snow plowing business, provide HVAC services, or are in the lawn care management business, delegating tasks can greatly improve the company as a whole.