When You Are Stretched Too Thin: How a Lack of Trust Impedes Business Growth
Client Request
As the owner of a small business, the client finds himself handling every aspect, tending to pressing matters. However, at some point, he lost sight of the bigger picture and the direction in which his business was heading. The initial enthusiasm and joy of manifesting his idea gradually gave way to a sense of burnout.
“I haven’t had a proper night’s sleep in a while, not to mention engaging in sports, maintaining a healthy diet, or enjoying leisure activities. I undertake everything single-handedly, as I can’t trust others to execute tasks to the desired standard. Nevertheless, I find myself running out of both time and energy.”
Objectives
Uncover the underlying reasons for the client's lack of trust in their employees
Establish a fresh management style that allows the client to allocate time for strategic decision-making
Cultivate new habits and management techniques
Outcomes
The client gained insight into the reasons behind his struggle to delegate and bestow responsibility upon his employees. He discovered that this challenge stemmed from a deep-seated belief that others were unable to fully comprehend his ideas or grasp the company’s core values.
Through working with a coach, the client developed a novel behavioral strategy, adapted his leadership tactics, relieved himself of operational burdens, and, alongside his colleagues, propelled the company’s profits to increase by three to fourfold.
Steps
2nd sessions
5th sessions
We began by delving into the client’s relationships with their employees. According to the client, the managers carried out minor tasks with errors, exerting only partial effort and lacking initiative. When the coach asked, “Can the employees be perceived as managers rather than mere executors? Can we entrust them with a greater workload?” The response was, “No way! They won’t be able to handle it!” At some point during the conversation, the client expressed the belief, “Regardless, no one can do it better than me because it’s not their business, and they have no incentive to delve into it and put in the effort.”
The client was convinced that they had no allies and could never have any. They viewed their role in the business solely as the key executor, rather than as a leader. After the first session, the client made a commitment to uncover the strengths of the managers’ work. During the second session, they shared a surprising discovery: while analyzing the abilities of their employees, they found out that one had previously written excellent advertising texts, another excelled in communication with contractors, and a third possessed strong organizational skills.
The belief of “I’m better off doing everything myself; it’s more reliable” had previously hindered this realization. Upon recognizing how this belief constrained their communication with employees and the overall business, the client made the choice to transform it into “I am an entrepreneur and business owner.” They then proceeded to compile a list of tasks that could be delegated to their subordinates.
During the third session, another deeply ingrained belief, rooted in the Soviet past, emerged from the depths of the subconscious. It was the notion that entrepreneurship was impossible without deceit. Together with the coach, they explored situations where this mindset posed obstacles: feeling discomfort when disclosing prices during negotiations with potential clients, hesitating to accept payments, and demanding timely settlement of outstanding debts. After addressing this issue, a newfound energy and conviction arose: “I am an entrepreneur, and I take pride in it.”
The subsequent consultations aimed to solidify new actions, habits, and management style, while assisting the client in resisting the temptation to revert to old, familiar modes of interaction with both clients and employees.
Results
The client liberated themselves from operational burdens, gaining ample time to tackle strategic tasks.
The client ceased regarding their employees as mere executors and began entrusting them with significant assignments.
The company's turnover tripled, and orders were secured for a period of 3-4 months in advance.
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