Build a Business That Runs Without You by looking at what happens when you take a day off. Does work keep moving, or do questions and approvals pile up until you return? In this episode, Candy shares how to hand off responsibilities, prepare your team to handle them, and build enough trust to take time away.
Build a Business That Runs Without You by Sharing Ownership
Start with a responsibility that keeps landing back on your desk. If you hand off the work but still make every decision, your team will continue to wait for you. Think through which decisions your team can make independently and which ones still need your input.
Candy talks about the role her operations manager plays in keeping work moving. As you consider what you can delegate in your own business, ask whether the person taking over has the tools, training, and authority to see the work through.
Document the Work Your Team Needs to Repeat
Pick a recurring process and write down how it works. Candy uses payroll procedures as an example of work your team needs to know how to handle. When the steps are documented, your team has something to refer to while you’re away. That’s especially helpful when you work remotely and can’t answer a question across the room.
As you hand off the process, invite the person taking it over to ask questions. Their questions can show you where a step needs more detail or where you’ve been making a decision without explaining how you make it.
Practice Stepping Away Before You Take a Longer Break
Give your team a chance to handle the work during a short absence. When you return, ask what went smoothly, what got stuck, and which decisions still had to wait for you. Use what you learn to clarify a procedure or give someone more room to make a decision the next time.
Take a moment to acknowledge what your team handled while you were away. If someone took ownership of a task you used to manage, tell them specifically what their work made possible for you.
Watch the Full Episode
Watch the full episode to hear how Candy learned to rely on her team. As you watch, choose one responsibility you’d like someone else to own and consider what they’d need from you to handle it confidently.
