Outsourcing: Letting Go

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LETTING IT GO

The other day I was in the waiting area at the tire shop. I was sitting and relaxing with my coffee and reading a book on social media on my Kindle. I was using the time available to work on my business. Another customer was in the waiting area. He was staring through the big picture window into the shop. He was asking the tire shop employee endless questions about the process. Some people have a natural curiosity about things and a desire to learn, but this gentleman was coming across as very concerned with the fact that he had to let go of the control over his vehicle maintenance and let someone else do the work for him. I’m guessing he’s a micro manager in life and in his work.

So how do you avoid being a micro manager? Use referrals, use a vetting process, (which we talked about last week) and be comfortable with the people that you hire. Test people out. Give them small jobs at first and then give them bigger jobs if they are meeting your needs. Most people do need some training time: even if they know how to do certain jobs, they will not know exactly what you need. If you spend your time micromanaging your outsourced team, you’re not making the best use of your time. So relax and let them do their job. Just be available in case they have questions or need guidance. You can spend the extra time working on building your business, or you could spend it at the soccer field cheering on your favorite team.

Many people who read my blog and my newsletter are solopreneurs. Some of them spend their time working for other people. Whether you’re a graphic artist or a bookkeeper or even a virtual assistant, you might run into people that want to micromanage you. In the “Related Articles” section I’ve added one article on how to manage a micromanager.

In thinking about the Harry Potter theme, remember that in the end Harry Potter defeated Voldemort, but he didn’t do it alone. He did it by using a blend of his strengths and Hermoine’s strengths and Ron’s strengths and Neville’s strengths (plus most of the Hogwarts students and the Order of the Phoenix). We all need different strengths on our team. So, like Hogwarts, help will always be given to those who ask for it.

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