Yolofsky Law - December 2019

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COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY Be open about why and how changes are happening. You don’t have to spill every detail, but you should share your vision with your employees so they can embrace and contribute to the changes. No one likes to be left in the dark, and if you have team members who are, they won’t understand their role or be able to effectively support the business going forward. TACKLE BIG PROBLEMS FIRST This might seem obvious, but if there are major problems hindering the advancement of your business, then you should resolve them first before moving on to less-threatening issues. The smaller issues may seem like the easiest place to start, but your business is only as strong as its biggest weakness. Working to eliminate your largest issues first will clear the way for other problems to be resolved and allow your business to flourish. E MBRACE TECHNOLOGY Many businesses that fail to implement change are also unwilling to update their

always challenge yourself and others to do better. As you check items off your list of accomplishments, add new ones to make sure your business is always improving. Whether you’re looking to revamp a few dusty avenues or you’re ready to implement an overhaul in operations, always remember that change is inevitable. Will you embrace it so your business can grow, or will you shy away from it and allow the possibility of decline? We think the choice is pretty clear: In a world where change is the only constant, learning to roll with it is the best way to keep yourself in the game.

existing systems. There are dozens of proven business tools and softwares available for communication, accounting, digital storage, and other business necessities. Technology changes every day to adapt to what businesses really need to succeed. If your technology is out of date, other elements of your business likely are too. KEEP IT UP Once you’ve done all the hard work and implemented change, you’ll still need to monitor and maintain it. Review progress reports, adapt your strategies as necessary, keep the lines of communication open, and

DELEGATE TO ELEVATE The Secret to Being a Great Leader

Teachable: Is there a task only you know how to do? If so, teach someone else to do it, and step in for the last quality check when it’s done. Terrible At: It’s okay to be bad at some things. Great leaders know when to pass tasks off to someone who is more skilled than they are. The task will get done faster and at a much higher quality. Time-Sensitive: These tasks need to get done right now but are competing with tasks of a higher priority. Just because it has to get done immediately doesn’t mean you have to be the one to do it. Sure, some tasks only you can accomplish, but these are extremely rare. As the Virgin Group founder Richard Branson warns, needlessly resisting delegation is the path to disaster. “You need to learn to delegate so that you can focus on the big picture,” Branson says. “It’s vital to the success of your business that you learn to hand off those things that you aren’t able to do well.”

If your answer is no or you aren’t sure, then you’re probably too involved. No one person should be the cog that keeps everything in motion, no matter their position in the company. Luckily, HBR has created an audit using the following six T’s to identify which tasks can be delegated. Tiny: Small tasks that stack up can undermine the flow of your work. Registering for a conference, putting it on the calendar, and booking the flight are all small tasks someone else can handle. Tedious: These tasks are straightforward but not the best use of your time. Someone else can input lists into spreadsheets or update key performance indicators for a presentation. Time-Consuming: These important, complex tasks don’t require you to do the first 80% of the work. Identify what they are, pass them to someone else, and step in for the final 20% to give approval.

Poor delegation is the Achilles’ heel of most leaders, who often confuse being “involved” with being “essential.”To determine if you’re holding on to work you should delegate out, the Harvard Business Review (HBR) recommends asking this simple question: “If you had to take an unexpected week off work, would your initiatives and priorities advance in your absence?”

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