Running a business or practice can be a daily challenge. Everyone else seemingly does it so easily, so why does it sometimes seem like so much hard work? Business owners don’t always have someone they can turn to for answers to daily frustrations, which is why more and more are looking to find a business coach. The most common issues revolve around people, money and time. In particular, the lack of it. This question and answer series of articles provides scenarios for practice and business owners to find answers to those frustrating situations.
Q: My biggest bugbear isn’t systems or planning – those I have pretty well handled, it’s interruptions. I never seem to be able to have clear time to focus on the task at hand.
So, while you have systems handled, you need to add a system to manage interruptions. Look at the interruptions and work out where they are coming from. Is it staff questions, or telephone calls or family wanting something or, heaven forbid, clients? Now ask yourself who gave them permission to interrupt you? Chances are there’s only one answer to that. You did.
Begin to change the situation by setting some guidelines.
Schedule some “do not disturb” time – usually not more than 50 minutes at a time, at the end of which you deal with messages. Ask your staff to put their query on paper or in an email, or even hold it till the next staff meeting. At the same time, tell them, if it is Drop Dead Urgent, you will drop everything and respond. Have them ask themselves the question: Is this DDU? If not, use another method to communicate. You may be able to set up a gatekeeper with clear guidelines to screen interruptions. These are just a few strategies. Once you examine the interruptions and see how they fill your available time, you will also see the patterns emerging, and think of ways to shift your behaviour and the behaviour of those around you.
Try some or all of these strategies for a month and measure the changes.
Q: Everyone who calls seems to want to speak to me. They are coming to my business because of me or because they are a personal contact. I feel trapped. How do I change this without offending them?
This one also falls into the time-thief bag of questions. First of all, make someone else the first point of contact–the gatekeeper–and have them ask what the call is in relation to, and if you are not available, can someone else help? When you take a call and hear the request, even if it’s from your best mate, say, “You know, I’d like to have Bill look after this for you. He’s our expert on leasing. Let me put you through to him.” Mate happy. Bill happy. It’s not brain surgery.
Your bigger issue is to decide whether you are a sales person first or a business owner first. If it’s the latter, you may have to let go of a bit of ego. However, if it’s the former and you want the business to continue to depend on you then you should be prepared to sacrifice growth. If you want growth, sacrifice some ego and acknowledge that you have good people who can handle the enquiries and transactions without you. They and your clients will respect you for it.
Watch for Part Eleven…coming next week!
Until next time…
P.S. Learn more about working ON your business–talk to the coach! Click here to connect with me!