Who will you give yourself permission to be today?   This is a question that successful entrepreneurs and leaders are able to answer in a flash.

When working with people in business we find that they often reach a stage in their business and in their lives when they adopt a holding pattern.  They unknowingly enter a state of limbo waiting for permission to step up into a new exciting paradigm.  It is as if, in order to break the holding pattern, permission must come from an external source – unidentified, but none the less, the holder of significant power over the individual’s will.

This limiting behaviour may be the result of a mind virus that has infected the individual’s psyche since youth, back when permission was required.  Being given permission can be confused with encouragement – if you give me permission then you must believe in me??  Thinking permission is a pre-requisite for change may have been part of the psyche for so long it has become an unconscious behavioural pattern.  That is, until it is brought to light as the almighty limiter it is.

The need for permission is often related to a lack of self-belief, a feeling of non-entitlement or fear of failure.  Too often permission received from another becomes the evidence needed to support playing a different game and validates stepping outside the comfort zone.  So we wait.  This reliance on the consent of another is a high-risk strategy.  What if consent never comes?  What then?  You stay in this limiting holding pattern?

We could give you permission to believe in yourself and to have a sense of entitlement.  We could describe for you what we see for you, that is so much more than you see for yourself.  We could create a vision that we know you are up for.  We could give you permission to play a bigger game.  Yet still the last hurdle will remain – you and only you can sign off and authorise the permission slip.  Only you can give you the consent you need to step into an expanded potential.

What is holding you back?  Are you in limbo?

Write your own permission slip.  Who do you need to be today and what do you need to do to play this bigger game – to get out of the viewing stands and into the arena.

Give yourself permission to:

• Be curious about the stories you are telling yourself;
• Notice who influences you;
• Own the value you add;
• Practice self-care;
• Notice when fear is limiting you and to do so without judgement;
• Step into the arena and play hard; and
• Be vulnerable for your art.

If you stay in a holding pattern for too long you will miss the opportunities that present themselves to you and you will squander the value they may have added.  These opportunities will move on and offer themselves up to another candidate, and another, until someone who has already granted themselves permission embraces them wholeheartedly.  You will be left lamenting the one that got away.

This powerful mindset is very much a part of the psyche of successful entrepreneurs and great leaders.  It’s time to be a leader of self, and to grant yourself permission to play your bigger game.

 

Effective recruitment is one of the biggest challenges business owners say they face – they tell me it is impossible to get the right people.  And as a consequence they, themselves, must work harder and longer hours.  And business growth is stymied as a result.

Some tell me that all the kids of today (their potential employees) are in such a hurry, they want everything now, and with the least amount of effort.  They are not interested in working hard or putting in the hours and are so idealistic.

Firstly, let me say that there are 2 really big global statements or beliefs here –

1. “It is impossible to get the right people”; and

2. These descriptions of the attitudes of young people.

I believe that this people challenge is actually a mindset challenge… nothing more, nothing less.

With limiting global beliefs like this in tow, we will not take an expansive or creative mindset into the recruitment process.

If we go to the market thinking that we won’t find the right person – then we most probably won’t!

If we are thinking it is all a waste of time, our commitment to the process will be weak.  We will most likely revert to doing what we have always done (and we will get what we have always got – the “wrong” people).  Given that we expect recruitment will not be successful, we are disinclined to be innovative, think outside the square or to invest extra energy, funds, or time in the process.

But what if you took the attitude that the right people are out there… they are just not working for you… yet.  And who are these kids who have a sense of urgency, who are ambitious, confident, who have interests other than work and envision a better way of being?

How would your mindset change?

If you are not attracting the people you need, then why not?  Maybe it isn’t that the people aren’t out there, but rather that they are not attracted to what they perceive you have to offer.  Would you examine what you did last time and consider how it could be improved to be more relevant to the current labour market?  Would you spend more time becoming clear on exactly who this person might be, what skill set they might have, and what they might be doing now, where they could be working and what environment they are currently excelling in.

Given that you now believe the right people are out there, then:

• advertise more strategically;
• work at attracting this talent – become a talent magnet; and

Find out the answers to these questions:

• what are their hobbies and their interests?;
• where are they are studying and how they are spending their spare time?;
• how can you add value to them before they even know they will be working for you?;
• who do you know who could help you to find these stars?;
• are you fishing where the fish are?;
• how are you promoting your value in places they are shopping or browsing?; and
• what would a fast paced, value adding, exciting, balanced work place look like (and isn’t that where you would like to work anyway… and the energy of a place like that… how would that feel)?

When you change your language and recognise the limiting effect of this type of global generalised belief, then you begin to see the challenge with a new sense of possibility.

Consider the attributes of our amazing younger generation – think about how their beliefs and attitudes can be leveraged and harnessed in your business environment.  It’s interesting that when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.  Yes, it is all about mindset and the willingness to challenge old beliefs.  This is why a business will never outperform its owners and leaders – and this is why business owners, if they give themselves permission, will enjoy incredible personal growth as a pre-requisite for leading a vibrant, relevant business that attracts great people.

So with your new empowering beliefs in place… take another look at your people challenge – you will be pleasantly surprised at the new opportunities that come with an expanded mindset.

This way of thinking is integral to becoming an even better leader in business and in life.

We build on these concepts and expand the opportunities for you and your business in our BUSINESS by DESIGN and LEADERSHIP by DESIGN workshops. 

Register your interest in these workshops today:

 

 

Delegation is a process that adds value at all levels – it is all about doing more by doing less!  Don’t wait and abrogate when tasks become super urgent and deadlines critical – it is incredibly counter productive.

In our “Delegate For Success” blog post we considered why we should delegate and looked at some of the excuses for not doing so.

The biggest block to effective delegation is less about the “how to” and more about the belief in the power of delegation.

In order to become an advocate of delegation – to be a skill builder – you must firstly let go of the mindset that:

• You don’t have enough time;
• You don’t have the energy or patience for it;
• You can do it faster and better yourself; or
• You could be delegation yourself out of a job.

How do we successfully delegate tasks?  

Here are our seven steps to delegating tasks to achieve success.  These tips can be used not only in your business for more success, but in every aspect of your life to accomplish more.

1. Understand the Task – Make sure you understand the task yourself so that you can clearly communicate the process, the resources, the authority levels and the time frames to the person you are delegating to.  Understand the risk if the task is not completed adequately and manage any risk appropriately.

2. Find the Right Person – Find the person who is motivated to take on the task and to learn new skills.  You cannot give responsibility, someone must take it.

3. Communicate the Task – Take the time to clearly and concisely communicate the task.  This includes the process and the expected outcome.  Make sure they understand how this particular task fits into the overall picture.  Create SMART tasks (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound).

4. Provide Resources to do the Job – Whether it is the time, people, or technology, it is your responsibility to ensure that the resources are available.  Communicate the parameters around time and dollars to be invested.

5. Agree on timelines – Communicate when the job must be finished, at what stage you want to review progress, when reports are due, when you need feedback and then set priorities.  Let them know that you have an open door should they have any questions concerning the task.

6. Confirm Understanding – Make sure that the person understands exactly what is expected. As the question…  “In your own words, talk through your understanding of what is expected”.

7. Encourage, Support, Feedback – Let the person delegated the task know that you have confidence in them to successfully complete the task.  Explain that you’re there to support them.  On completion of the task, perform a review and feedback on the results.  Say thank you!

Delegation, done well, is one of the best forms of on the job training.  We are often super keen to delegate just before we go on annual leave – all of a sudden there are team members who are capable of being delegated to.  Unfortunately, in the mad rush to get away these seven critical steps are not always followed.

Delegation is best done before the job becomes urgent… don’t sit on a task until it is both urgent and important before delegating.  The ultimate responsibility for ineffective delegation is with you.

The art of delegation, or doing more by doing less, can be mastered and adds value to you, your team and your business.

At Opening Gates we examine the art of delegation and so much more in our PRODUCTIVITY by DESIGN and our LEADERSHIP by DESIGN workshops.