Knowing When To Let Go

"The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it." ~ Theodore Roosevelt

I think one of the hardest things about doing something entrepreneurial is actually dealing with the success, whether that means hiring on employees, franchising out your business, hiring a manager and moving onto other possibilities, or any number of actions that will require you to take your hands off the reins and let someone else drive the cart.

It is hard to take a step back and let someone else care for something that has been your passion and received so much of your perspiration over such a long period of time, but this is a necessary step if you really want to be successful in life.  Just as important as hiring the right people is restraining yourself enough to let them know what you have hired them to do.

Strictly in terms of numbers, this is how it has to be.  You have a limited amount of hours a day in which you can devote yourself to a business.  If nothing else, you must eat and sleep, so we will say that you have 18 hours a day to devote to business (if you are comfortable sleeping only 6 hours a night).   If you are at the point in business where you feel the need to hire someone else on, then you have realized that you simply do not have enough hours in a day that needs to be done, and that your time can likely be spent better elsewhere doing other things.  

However, if you attempt to micromanage the person/people that you hire, then you run into a time problem.  You won't have time to do all that you were doing before, and all that you brought the new people on to handle.  Instead of saving your time or being able to direct your energies in a positive direction, you'll be doing your old job, their job, participating in your new activities, and you will burn yourself out.  There is no quicker road to failure, and you have to recognize that you only have so much time in the day.

Also, in terms of personnel, if you don't trust your employees, you will not build long term quality relationships and staff.  You will also hurt their development, as your lack of trust will hinder their own personal growth.  Trust yourself to be a good teacher, and trust them to be good learners, and things will work out if you let them.

Hire quality people, trust your judgments, and enjoy success.  Think of it like teaching a child to ride a bike - at some point, you have to let go, and trust them to keep on pedaling.  It is likely that they will have a few mishaps, but imagine the price you will feel when they are going full steam ahead all by themselves.  Your business is the same way - learn to let go.