We’ve all seen the memes. You know most people abandon their ‘New Year, New You’ commitments by the time we hit the ski slopes for MLK holiday weekend. I believe that happens because resolutions tend to focus on the wrong things. Think about it: Resolutions are generally about something we are not doing, need to do better or want to change.
Why not focus on what you do well?
Playing to your strengths is a key to successful team building, product development, relationship management and well — almost everything. It’s true! That’s because people are generally more enthusiastic and in turn, more impactful when we devote our time to something we are good at (or enjoy).
As an example, some of my best business owner pals actually like number crunching. They spend their time immersed in business budgets, income statements and cash flow projections. Can you imagine? It’s hard for me to relate because this is one area that (while essential to business growth), I could do without. I knew early on that I needed to hire someone who is better at keeping our books.
You don't have to know (or do) it all.
On the other hand, prospective clients reach out everyday because they read a blog post, followed Growmetix® on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter or read about the company in a local business journal. We regularly receive compliments (and accolades) on the appeal of our marketing collateral. Why? Because marketing is one of my natural strengths. I’ve been writing for years and I enjoy editing images and laying out pages.
If you’re wondering, that does not mean our books are in disarray. I was smart enough to hire one of those finance geeks I mentioned earlier to get and keep our books tight. Playing to your strengths does not have to mean other important jobs fall by the wayside. Not if you couple this growth strategy with one of my favorite productivity tools . . . Delegation.
Delegation can help your business grow.
If you have a staff, hire contractors or work with a partner, you have access to people with a variety of skills, gifts and talents. Find out what your team is good at (or what they love). Then delegate projects and tasks to the person who is best suited to complete them. You will get more done when you play to your strengths — and allow others to do the same.
If you work alone, consider outsourcing some of your work to a virtual assistant. Be sure it’s someone who brings different skills to your business and a fresh set of eyes.
Where do you get 'in the zone'?
Since starting my first business in the late 1990s, I’ve gotten smarter about finance. But I still don’t love it. And, that’s okay. By understanding and playing to my natural strengths, I can start and end my year on a high note — and so can you. What are your strengths? Leave a comment below to share where you get ‘in the zone’.
