“Your Special Ability” Regardless if you are a small business, CPA or attorney…no matter what you do…
I’d like to begin by asking you to honestly answer the following questions:
• How do you spend your time while you are at work?
• Do you spend the majority of it in your business and not on your business?
• Are you running your business or is it running you?
• What happens when you try and do everything without seeking any help?
You end up doing a bunch of “stuff”, but does any of this stuff get you more sales, customers or profits? Or is it all busy work that distracts you from being successful?
The secret of getting more sales and customers involves focusing and working on your strengths and letting others provide the support that you need to be successful. Sounds simple, doesn’t it?
Well if it was so simple, then why is it that most business owners have such a hard time doing it?
Believe me, I know, because I was once guilty of trying to do it all in my business before I found ways to delegate what was not my special ability.
My passion is helping retailers achieve success in their business. My special ability is not doing monthly client billings or updating my web site.
You have to be passionate about what you are doing, and if you are, that is your special ability. If you are too busy and distracted doing things you don’t enjoy, then your employees and customers will sense your frustration and in turn will not be passionate about you or your business.
The secret is simply doing what you do best, your special ability, and then finding ways to get the busy work done through different means.
Let me ask you one more question.
What is it that you would do every day, all day long for free?
The answer to this question is your special ability! Everyone has one, but most of us haven’t learned how to find it.
Special ability is who we are at our very best. Wouldn’t it be great if you could spend all of your time doing only the things you love, that you know are guaranteed to put money in your pocket?
We are going to discuss the fine art of delegation and then we will explore how to find the necessary resources that will free you up to actually run your business and not have it run you!
Let me share with you a story about a client who was getting bogged down in accounting paperwork and other administrative tasks and he hated every minute he spent doing it. When I asked my client what it was that he loved to do, he replied, “I love to sell and work with my customers.”
I suggested that if he spent his time selling and working with customers and hired a bookkeeper to do all the other tasks, he would be able to generate the additional sales needed to pay for the bookkeeper. He would then be a much happier owner.
At first he resisted and argued about why it wouldn’t work but finally agreed to give it a try. Now my client’s business is thriving because of this very small shift in his mindset. He is working in his special ability and has never been happier, and his business has never been more profitable!
Now, let’s roll up our sleeves and get started on finding the right resources to help you get the support you need for the things that you do not love to do.
• What can you delegate to others so you can spend more time with your special ability?
• Do you have trusted employees that could help you with the tasks that are not contributing to your special ability?
• Can you hire a part-time person?
• Can you hire an intern? The good news today is that many interns will work for no pay because they are grateful for the opportunity to gain work experience and have something that will add to their resume.
• Can you hire a Virtual Assistant?
We’ve only touched on a few, and there are many, many ways to delegate or shift responsibilities. You must first focus on what your special ability is and then maximize that strength by allowing others to support you.
You need to make a conscience effort to do what you love and be committed to finding resources for the all the other stuff!
In summary, everyone has a special ability. It’s vitally important that you discover what your special ability is. It’s whatever you would do all day, every day, for free.
Everyone has a special ability. Your goal is to find yours and then surround yourself with the support staff and employees who have their own special abilities that complement yours.
What is it that you love to do that will make you the most money, in the shortest time, with the least effort and have the biggest on-going impact?
Let me ask you that question again.
What is it that you love to do that will make you the most money, in the shortest time, with the least effort and have the biggest on-going impact?
When you find the answer to this question, then you are working in your special ability.