As I write this, my head is swirling with all the things I need to do to get ready to leave on vacation next week. I’m currently a solopreneur, so if it’s gonna get done, I’m the one to do it, but for someone with a team, time off can be easier to take – if your team is properly trained.
So what if I did have a team? What would I, the training expert, do to make sure everything runs smoothly while I’m away, with a minimum of stress for both me and my team?
Systems and documentation
I hope it goes without saying that having systems to keep things running smoothly in your business is a must do for anyone with (or without) a team. The bigger the team, the more true this is. The same thing goes for documentation that lays out how processes and procedures are supposed to happen.
What business owners can forget, however, is that they need systems and documentation even for the tasks they themselves are responsible for. You don’t want important information living only in your brain, because then it is a serious problem if your brain isn’t available.
Experts who aren’t you
On the side of my refrigerator, there is a list of names and phone numbers for companies that help us keep our house functioning – plumbers, HVAC maintenance, and so forth. Ideally, you want something like that for your business. I don’t necessarily mean folks who provide physical support (although that too, if you have a brick-and-mortar location). Do you have a go-to website person? Who’s your contact if there are issues taking payments from customers? If there is someone that you, as the business owner, would reach out to in a crisis, then cut out the middle man. Make sure your team knows who to contact and how if things go sideways when you aren’t around (and maybe even if you are).
Clear instructions
Make sure your team knows what they should and should not handle while you are away, and that they know how to respond to requests that need to wait for your return. If an upset customer absolutely insists that only talking to the owner will do, that should be handled politely but firmly. If you do want your staff to contact you in certain circumstances, be painfully clear about what those circumstances are.
Everyone needs time off, but if you have a team, this is only really possible if you have a team that you fully trust. Make sure that they know that, and that it is a testament to their value to you that you feel able and willing to leave your business in their capable hands for a few days or weeks. This is both being a good human, and a good leader, as people who are told they are valued and trusted are more likely to work hard to be worthy of that trust.