Every business faces challenges as they grow. One challenge that all businesses will face in their growth cycle is in their ability to develop beyond the constraints of the business owner themselves. Some business owners have no issue delegating responsibility and management of their team as it grows in numbers. However, whilst others think that they have no issues with team growth, the truth reveals something rather different. As the business grows, so too does the stress on the business owner. The owner thinks that he or she is delegating effectively, but somehow, a bigger team does not seem to work for the better.
Are you the bottleneck in your business?
Generally, business growth slows and eventually halts at the level of your ability to handle your team. As your business grows, so too does your team; and in an ideal world, this shouldn’t result in additional stress. However, if you are personally busier than ever; and feel that your business growth is not as rapid as it should be, it is likely to be what I call the BottleNeck Syndrome.
BottleNeck Syndrome describes a situation that occurs when the person or party(s) authorised to make decisions is unable to do so in a timely and effective manner, due to being distracted by other activities and responsibilities. As a result, the desired outcomes are not produced in time, due to the limited resources of the decision maker. Or in simpler terms, the growth of the business is halted by the limitations of the person in charge.
The Signs
Is your business suffering from BottleNeck Syndrome? A business experiencing these problems may exhibit some or all of the following scenarios:
Decision Making
You have a team of people working with you, yet you still need to make most of the decisions in your business, especially in the running of everyday tasks.
You find that your team members seek your advice on the same issues repeatedly, with only minor variations.
Your team members come to you, seeking decisions on seemingly mundane matters.
Supervision
You feel that you have to monitor and supervise most activities within your team on a daily basis, and feel that without that ‘supervision’, things will not be done right.
Issue Resolution
You continually have to resolve a number of situations arising in your day-to-day operations, even with your team members present.
What can you do?
One of the main causes of BottleNeck Syndrome in business is the fear of ‘loss of control’, coupled with a lack of effective delegation of responsibilities and proper empowerment of team members.
Work to empower your team. They need to be able to make most of the day to day operations by themselves. Train them properly. Allow them to make mistakes (within reason) so that they can make better decisions. Provide a system in which your team members know the parameters within which decisions can be made. Then step back, observe and adjust your parameters accordingly. Repeat until you get it right.
Effective delegation Diagram
You will find that with effective delegation and team empowerment, your company will be able to handle a greater workload and make better decisions. This will serve to have a positive impact on your business.
Do you feel that you are the bottleneck in your business?
