Everyone is always looking for a shorter route to the end result that they hope to achieve. Another way to think about this is to take the path of least resistance to reach the best possible outcome. The “magic pill” as some would say or even the “secret” to success is what many seek. Unfortunately, the harsh reality is that there is no real fast track to success. Is this a surprise to you?

Ready for the best-kept secret that I have ever come across success in growth, efficiency, and loyalty?!

Honestly, the secret is that there is no secret. Re-read that last line again if you feel like you need to. The people that you rely on every day are your ticket to growth in your business or career. No one achieves greatness alone. It is a team effort whether that fact is obvious or not. You only have two arms, two legs, and 168 hours in your week. This means that you are limited in your output potential. It’s nothing personal, but it just is what it is! Some people are going to be faster and more efficient than others, but the fact remains that one person can only do so much.

Once you have accepted the fact that hiring people or working with others in a corporate environment is not a bad thing, consider this for me. If you have a team to help you and you cannot delegate because you are a control freak, your failure is certain. If you have trust issues or think no one can do anything as well as you, delegation is also going to be a big problem for you. No delegation equals no progress.

I have always embraced the idea that people are comparable to the cornerstones of a building’s foundation. Getting good people into your organization AND getting them into the correction positions is critical for long-term success. Getting the wrong people into your organization will cause your structure to implode and fall down upon itself. This can be linked back to the weak or missing cornerstones in the building example that I just shared.

Read this quote and consider the profound impact that it leaves on you:

If your team has the best players and they never leave the bench, how much can they impact the game? You must effectively delegate work to the people that you have hired to do the job. Delegation in not micro management, so please do not confuse the two. An effective leader needs to clearly define each person’s role and responsibilities. Once this is done, they need to get the hell out of the way; allowing each individual to “own their process” and find their own way to the desired end result.

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There is a segment of you who will strongly disagree with this approach and will have a lot to say about proven standard operating procedures and a bunch of other stuff that we have all heard of before. Micromanagement does not work and will never work. Your people will hate you and offer about 20% of their potential to you. I am telling you that allowing people to own their process is a magnificent idea because it will do the following for you:

Increase engagement

Increase efficiencies

Encourage personal development

Increase loyalty

Increase the bottom line

How is that for the best-kept secret for growth, efficiency, and loyalty?

If you have a better idea, leave it in the comments so we can all benefit from the knowledge. Perhaps it’s time to get out of your own way and allow your team to do what you pay them to. You will be pleased with the results and with the extra time that you have to focus on the tasks that only you can do. You are only as strong as your weakest link, so know when to push your team and when to cut out the weak links too. It’s all part of the process and vital to the health of the organization.





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