Let's say you’re one of those people who can talk on the phone whiletyping an email, sipping a cappuccino and brainstorming ideas for a new product.You’re used to piding your attention among several tasks. But is multitasking the best choice when you’re the owner of a budding startup?
Or doesit distract you from leading your company in the most effective manner? Three tips for curbing your distraction problem.
1. Make moreby working less.
Itsounds crazy, but you make more money by working less. This is the key to building a successful startup.
Earlier this year,I created a blueprint to show how things should go and discussed the plan with my teammates. I told them, “This is the plan we need to follow to achieve our goal.” Then I let them p out how to make the plan work.When they reported back to me, I objectively analyzed their results and found that those results helped me ask the questions that that would lead to a better product. I wasn’t spending my days working on tasks that prevented me from handling the bigger things on my plate.
2. Focuson the big picture.
As an entrepreneur, you always have a laundrylist. You start ticking off tasks, but the list keeps growing,and you can’t stop and take a hard look at the overall plan. You’re constantly in “go mode.”
Now, considerwhat happens when you have a group of people working for you. You’re able to askobjective questions andmake decisions in a calculated fashion. Thepeople working for you follow your lead. They begin to look at problems in a more strategic way, too.
58003 “Effective leaders can motivate others to achieve results that will scale the organization beyond their own personal limits.”
Many entrepreneurs think they need to move at lightningspeed. Sometimes, though, while speed may benecessary, it’s never worth sacrificing the bigger picture for.
3. Outsource expertise.
Somanystartupleadersgetboggeddownwithtasksthat aren’tsuitedtotheirabilities.I once saw afriend’s co-founderobsessover the sound quality of atutorial. He had headphones in -- the whole 9 yards. I respected his passion, of course, buthe had no training in audio editing and would havebeen better off finding someone who did.
Many entrepreneurs are afraid to outsource work to other professionals. Entrepreneurs know their productsbetter than anyone else. If they allow someone else to accept the responsibility for an important task, they get nervous -- especially when money is involved. After all, every dollar going out the door is a dollar that might not makeits way back.
Yet, while outsourcing can be expensive, it's money well spent if you’re showing your product to investors or peers.Focus on the responsibilities that correspond to your strengths. As your company grows, pay other people to perform the jobs beyond your wheelhouse.
According toDebNoller, another member of the 2015 Dell Founders 50 (and the badassCEO of Switch Automation), a business education prepares you for so many aspects of business. You learn about finance, computer programming, consulting and business planning. Butone thing you can’t truly learn without experience is how to manage people. This can only be learned through on-the-job training and trial and error.
To work less -- but better -- delegate. Hire people with the talents to help direct your company where it needs to be. Even if you think you’re the world’s greatestmultitasker, trust in your people, give them responsibilitiesand be willing to let go.