Want to Improve Your Business? Quit Your Business.

I work exclusively with construction business owners, executives, and managers and all of them struggle with this one thing:

QUITTING.

They have trouble focusing on the highest and best use of their time.

They continue to do the work they should be delegating to others.

They get trapped in the mindset that they are the only ones that can do what they do.

This might have been true when the business was small and the services they sold to their customers were closely related to the technical activities (craft) they spent years developing.

But as their reputations and businesses grew, they had to start developing the businesses through operations, marketing, and sales techniques.

And these aspects of their businesses were new and required new skills.

But they held on to what was comfortable and familiar. The technical skills.

And now their businesses require them to wear all the hats because they didn’t replace themselves in the field or in the office.

They need to quit something.

And the best way to improve the business is to quit.

If this describes you, then there is a simple solution to transform your construction business (or any business for that matter).

Take a vacation.

Now, I’m not saying that you should ignore your obligations and act irresponsibly toward your employees or your clients, but planning a few days (if not more) off the grid, away from your business will help you grow your business.

If you can take a few days away, then you can grow that to a week.

If you can take a week away, then you can grow that into a month.

If you can take a month, then you have a business that doesn’t require you to answer and respond to all the urgent day-to-day stuff that is keeping you stuck.

Professional construction business owners can predict the future…at least enough of the future to plan time away from the business without having it burn to the ground.

If you can plan one day away, then you can plan two.

If your people can survive two days without you, then you have the beginnings of a system.

Grow that system little by little and until you replace yourself from the day to day so that you can focus on casting the vision.

And casting a vision is something you’ll never want to quit.

SIX STEPS TO QUITTING (the stuff others should be doing):

Step 1

Plan a two-day vacation.

It could be a getaway or a work-related conference. Buy the tickets. Book the room. Put the money down.

Step 2

Tell your people.

Tell your spouse (hopefully he/she already knows). Tell your employees. Make a public commitment.

Step 3

Ask your people to plan the activities for the time when you’re gone.

Don’t do the planning for them. This will train them how to think and problem solve in your absence. Lead and guide the plan, but don’t direct it.

Step 4

Kill the Plan

Meet with your people and discuss all the things that could go wrong when you’re gone. Discuss what to do when these things happen and how to respond.

Step 5

Define success.

Set the metrics for what success looks like so your people will know how to stay on the right path without your constant input.

Step 6

Quit your job

…at least for a couple days.

CALL TO ACTION…

If you are a construction business owner that needs to solve the operational and financial growing pains you are experiencing in this market, then I have a program that can transform your business.

Click here to apply for a free strategy call to discuss my “Outsourced COO” program.