Author: Lucy Andrews

How to keep your business running when you go on holiday

How to keep your business running when you go on holiday might feel like an impossible question. Your business is your baby, and no one but you knows how hard you’ve worked to get where you are today. But it’s also important to take a break. Even if you don’t plan on going abroad, it’s a good idea to have Plan B ready to go – you never know when you’re going to fall ill or face a family emergency. 

In this blog, we talk to regional director Hazel about how to find the right team so that your business can survive without you.

Why should my business be able to survive without me?

Hazel: It’s important that you see your business surviving without you as a positive idea. If you can take time away without your business going under, it means you’re doing everything right! When your business survives without you, it doesn’t mean that what you bring to the business doesn’t matter. Instead, it means that you’re a good leader and a good manager who has prioritised putting the right team in place to improve business resilience. 

Your business should be able to survive without you so you can take a break. We all need to take breaks,whether it’s five minutes to look out of the window or a fortnight in the Mediterranean. Breaks make us more productive when we return to work. They also help us retain our sense of proportion and give us a chance to explore what else we have to offer. These are both important protections against burnout. 

I can’t bring myself to trust my staff – what should I do?

Hazel: If you have a team but you don’t feel confident leaving your business with them, it might be time to rethink the way you manage them and consider alternatives. My own background is in HR, and I’m a firm believer in clear job descriptions and company policies so that every member of staff knows what’s expected of them. Similarly, strong performance management means that you can help your staff develop into people you’d be proud to leave your business with. 

If possible, start as you mean to go on, using strategic recruitment planning to ensure that you recruit people with the right skills and personalities. This will mean that the people you recruit will also be the people you trust. Savvy business owners align their recruitment processes with their business plan and appoint the right people to deliver their goals. However, it’s important to remember that skills can be learned but personalities don’t change – pick a team whom you can trust and who trust you too. 

Remember that trust is two-way. Try to develop a culture of trust by modelling reliability for your team and avoiding micromanagement.

And if trust is a serious issue for you, coaching might help. We have business coaches both on the Get Ahead team and in our wider network – please let us know if you’d like an introduction. 

I work alone – who will take up the slack if I’m away?

Hazel: There’s no need for your business to grind to a halt just because you’re on holiday. I always suggest outsourcing or white labelling. An outsourcing agency like Get Ahead will be able to cover your back-office work, and maybe even some of your core business. (Have a look at all our services here to see what we offer)

Alternatively, you could use your network to find someone in your sector who could provide a similar service to your clients while you’re away. With any luck, they’ll return the favour when it’s their turn for a holiday! 

Even if you are the only one who can do the actual work, there’s no reason why you can’t outsource email management, phone answering or social media management so you don’t come home to countless messages. 

Get Ahead helps to keep your business running when you go on holiday

If you think you could benefit from back-office support, outsourced HR services or white label services, we’d love to hear from you. Our regional directors will take the time to learn about you and your business so they can match you with the best business experts for your needs. We always take personalities into account as well as skills, making the best match we can. Explore our site to find out more, or contact your local regional director here.

Social media for small businesses can be a challenge. Along with selling your products and services, keeping up with the invoicing, answering calls and emails and staying on top of your files, you’re also trying to find time to market your business on social media. It’s a big ask. 

Fortunately, there are several options available to help you post regularly on social media and still keep on top of your core business. In this blog, we’ll take a look at AI and how to use ChatGPT to generate content for your social channels. 

How to use AI to generate social media content

ChatGPT is an artificially intelligent platform that uses existing internet posts to answer questions and create content. This means it can give you ideas for social media posts and even write them for you. 

ChatGPT is free and you can use it by visiting the ChatGPT website and creating a login. Once in, it gives you the option to “message ChatGPT.” This is where you type in your request for information, whether you just want ideas or a whole social media post. So you might start by typing, “suggestions for social media posts for an outsourcing agency.” 

Then see what you get! And if you see an idea that appeals to you, ask ChatGPT to write you a full social media post about it. 

Some social media scheduling tools (e.g. Hootsuite) have artificially intelligent content generators too, aligned to calendars of awareness days. Simply click on the prompt and allow it to write your content!

Whether you used ChatGPT or the AI in a scheduling platform, you should now have a useable social media post. But before you copy and paste it into your social media platform, read it thoroughly and make sure it really is what you want to share with your followers. If it isn’t, you don’t have to ditch it completely – just make a few changes instead. 

How to edit ChatGPT and AI generated content 

Before you post, check the AI generated content. Ask yourself…

Is it really saying anything?

A danger with ChatGPT is that it sometimes generates posts that are all style and no substance. Check whether the content it has created for you is actually useful to your followers. If not, be prepared to add to the post yourself. 

Does it make the right point? 

ChatGPT takes its information from existing internet posts. This means that if you have a different point of view, or a new angle to share, ChatGPT won’t be able to incorporate it. Remember to check that ChatGPT has taken the same line you would. If you believe rising prices in your industry are a good thing and your followers need to know about them, make sure that’s the point that ChatGPT has made for you. And if isn’t, change it. 

Does it have the right tone? 

Check the post for tone too. ChatGPT reads like…ChatGPT. It’s bland, it’s not quite human and all its emotion (the bit that makes the post engaging) is second-hand. Fortunately, you have the power to remove the cliches, tell your followers how you actually feel and maybe swap some of the wording about. Trust your judgement. If you think the post sounds cheesy, it sounds cheesy. Tweak it until it reads smoothly and sounds like you. After all, you’re the person your followers want to engage with! 

A good thing about AI is that it won’t be offended if you change what it has written! Remember that it’s a good servant but a bad master – ultimately, you are the one who has control over your social media channels. 

Outsourced social media for small businesses

Whatever your experience of social media and/or AI, Get Ahead are here to help. Our experienced social media managers can provide as much or as little support as you need. From helping you with ChatGPT basics to setting up your social media platforms, writing content to in-depth analytics, our team can support you to grow your business through social media. 

Here are some of our top resources about social media – check them out! 

Social media for small businesses – long-term solutions – Get Ahead VA

Ten realistic social media ideas for small businesses – Get Ahead VA

How do I create a social media strategy and why does it matter? – Get Ahead VA

Social media is a great free marketing tool for small businesses. It’s quicker and easier to update than your website, and a brilliant way to interact with your clients and customers. 

But social media evolves all the time. What was working for you when you first started might not be as effective now. Maybe a new platform has come along and it’s time for you to get involved. Or maybe you need a new process to help you post consistently without your core business losing out. 

As it’s springtime, we asked our social media manager Natasha to share her top tips for spring cleaning your social media! Read on to find out more.

1. Spring clean your social media accounts

Most businesses use more than one social media platform. However, platforms come and go – for example, Twitter (now X) used to be a busy business hub but now since the platform’s re-branding it’s largely used for political commentary. Businesses change too – maybe Facebook worked well for you when you first started, but now you’re gaining more interaction on LinkedIn. The important thing is to evaluate which platform your own clients and customers use, and make sure that’s the platform where you post most often.

If you have accounts that are getting considerably less traction than others, let them go altogether and enjoy the time and money you save!

2. Spring clean your bios

When did you last update your social media bios? Take a moment to reread them and consider whether they still reflect you and your business. If your business has grown or changed direction, make sure your bio reflects that.

3. Spring clean your social media tools

Take some time (or ask someone like me!) to research social media tools that could be making your life easier. From new scheduling apps to advanced analytics tools, you might find some new tech to help you get more out of social media. 

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the number of options available, but don’t worry – Get Ahead can help. As one of their social media managers, I am often asked to help a business owner choose what tools to invest in. I talk to them about whether they want their posts scheduled in advance or a better understanding of the data, or something else. Then I share my experience to help them make the best choice. Contact Get Ahead to find out more about how we can help. 

4. Spring clean your social media management

Many business owners post on social media in an unplanned way, as and when something social-media-worthy crops up. While this can be delightfully fresh and spontaneous, it can also lead to inconsistent sharing and long gaps between posts. 

Take some time to think about your social media management and work out what you need to make it better. Consider setting up a folder where your team can add photos and stories – this will mean you always have content to draw upon, as well as showcasing different colleagues and different points of view. Making social media a regular agenda item at your team meeting might be another way to gather content ideas and share success. 

5. Spring clean your work diary

If you’re struggling to post regularly, consider blocking off time in your work diary to create and schedule social media posts. 

It’s also a good idea to weigh up whether posting on social media is the best use of your own time. Would you have more time, more headspace and more effective social media if you got someone like me to do it instead? If you think it would, talk to Get Ahead today – the solution you’re looking for might be more cost-effective than you think. 

Outsource social media 

We hope Natasha’s ideas will help you structure your social media and get more from Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok and other channels. And if you think you could benefit from support from Natasha or one of our other social media managers, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us to find out more.

PS – if you’re looking for inspiration for different social media posts, check out our top ten ideas here!

How do you say thank you to staff at Christmas? And with all the restaurants taking Christmas bookings since the summer, what do you do if you’ve left it too late to fix a party?

If you’re stuck for ways to show your team some appreciation this Christmas, or you need some last-minute ideas, help is at hand. We caught up with business development manager Melanie who shared her top ideas for team bonding, seeing your staff as real people and generally having fun at Christmastime. 

Why does employee appreciation matter?

Melanie: Showing your employees that you care goes a very long way. It’s a great way to build staff loyalty which can increase productivity and staff retention. What you do doesn’t have to be expensive as long as your team can see that you’re sincere. 

In my work as a business development manager, I’ve seen how breaking down barriers and meeting staff on a non-work level can really help a business. When there’s a staff party – even something as simple as playing board games together – job titles disappear and you’re all just people together. This is how to really start getting to know your team, understanding what pressures they’re under outside of work, and learning what’s really important to them too. 

Once you’re on the road to getting to know your staff on a more personal level, you’ll probably find management easier. Flexing round someone who is balancing paid work with being a carer, for example, is much more likely to bring out their best side. You can keep all their drive and talent within your own organisation, while supporting them in their personal life too. 

How do you say thank you to staff at Christmas?

Melanie: There are lots of ways to thank your staff! 

  1. Say thank you. 

It’s simple and it works. Write it in a card or say it out loud, but make a point of it – it goes a long way. 

  • Plan a celebration

Even if you’ve left it too late to book a party, escape room or cocktail class, you can still get together with your staff. If you have a business premises, hold your party there. Prosecco and crisps go a long way, and there’s nothing to stop you laying on more of a spread if your budget will allow. Remember to provide something festive and alcohol-free for any colleagues who aren’t drinking. 

You know your team. If you think a structured activity could help break the ice, a quiz or a games night is cheap and easy to organise. And if you’re an outdoorsy lot, go on a walk together – you could even “give something back” and do a litter pick at the same time. 

  • Volunteer together

Christmas is a busy time for loads of charities – why not check out corporate volunteering opportunities near you? Volunteering is a great way to bond as a team and have a laugh, helping your community at the same time. 

  • Support a new cause

Show your support for the causes or events that your employees take part in at Christmas. This can be a great way to show you value what your employees do outside of work, as well as supporting a new charity or organisation.  For example, one of our team sings with the Lloyds Choir and we’re all going along to their Christmas carol concert – really looking forward to it! 

Say thank you to your staff at Christmas

Whatever you plan for your staff at Christmas, think about who they are and what they’d enjoy. Personalising your thanks makes it much more meaningful. In turn, this can make it go further and help you bring out the best in your employees. 

We’ve put together loads of Christmas resources to help business owners during this busy time! If you found this blog useful, check out these ones too:

Take a break from work over Christmas

Connect with your business family

Top tips for using social media over Christmas

Christmas cheats for business owners

It’s nearly time to get your business ready for Christmas. From essential health and safety to sharing the festive spirit, there’s always a lot to do. So here’s a little pre-Christmas present from Get Ahead – our Christmas checklist for business owners. 

Health and safety

If you have a business premises like a shop, factory or office, it’s important that it remains safe and secure when you’re closed. Christmas falls on a Monday in 2023, so you might be closed for four days or more. 

Remember to turn off the regular lights and turn on the security lights. Set the heating so it kicks in if temperatures drop – you don’t want to come back to frozen or leaking pipes. 

Depending on your business and what you offer, you or a team member might be “on call” over the Christmas break. Make sure the right people know who this is. If necessary, include the on-call person’s phone number on your emergency plan, answerphone message or email auto-reply. 

Outsource your office cover 

Get Ahead has a range of office services to keep your business ticking along when you’re closed. We provide inbox monitoring so the important messages don’t get lost in the sea of junk mail. And our phone answering service means there’s always a professional response to any inquiries that come in over Christmas.  

Holiday and Christmas cover from Get Ahead can be set up in as little as one day – please get in touch if you’d benefit from our support! 

Add a Christmas message to your website

If you’re closing over Christmas, it’s a good idea to let your community know via a message on your website. This should help you take the break you deserve over Christmas, as well as being good customer service. 

Write a Christmas message to your clients and customers

Your business would be nothing without your customers and clients. Take some time this December to thank your business community for their support over the past year, and wish them a very merry Christmas!  

Set your email auto-response

If you’re lucky enough to not have to check emails over the Christmas break, remember to set up an auto-reply to let your clients, customers and business family know. Get Ahead are great advocates of taking time off, so if you’re able to take a Christmas break, make it a complete switch-off.

Word your out-of-office carefully. Don’t promise to reply if you don’t intend to. We’ve noticed that the number of Get Ahead clients taking a complete break over Christmas has increased every year. So please don’t feel guilty for taking time off – lots of others are too! 

If you do need to leave an emergency phone number (see above), be clear that it’s for emergencies only. 

Check the fridge before you lock up the office. 

If you’re closing for ten days over Christmas and New Year, please, please take the milk home when you lock up. Throw out anything that’s not going to survive the Christmas shut down and enjoy (literally) a fresh start to the New Year! 

Get your business ready for Christmas with support from Get Ahead

If you have outstanding work you need to finish before Christmas, Get Ahead are here to help. We can cover your back-office responsibilities so you can get on with your core business, tying up loose ends before you take a complete break. Explore our site to find out more, or contact your local regional director today. 

Have you had a great year or do you still need to achieve your business goals? With the end of Q4 looming large on the horizon, it’s time to focus on anything you haven’t yet achieved and take action to complete your goals.

But to achieve our goals, we need the right mindsets. In this blog, we look at positive ways to approach the end of the calendar year. 

Be brave and honest

When we don’t look at our goals, and don’t measure our business in any way, it’s easy to assume everything is going well. And for some of us, it’s easy to assume it’s all going badly, so we avoid looking at it because we think we won’t like what we see. 

But Q4 is the time to see an accurate picture. Be brave and revisit your business plan and business goals. Are you on track? Are you where you expected to be? If not, what do you need to get you there? 

Focus 

It’s amazing what we can do when we focus. Turn off your notifications, put your phone into monk mode and clear down some of those tasks that have caused blockages in your working life. Check out our blog on tasks you can do in one hour – you might be surprised at how productive you can be! 

Embrace new approaches

Often, the issue that is blocking us from achieving a business goal can be removed relatively easily. However, “we’ve always done it this way” can be a real barrier, preventing us from upgrading to a good customer management system or reorganising our business premises. 

To achieve our goals, it’s sometimes worth looking at alternative approaches and embracing change. Talking to business coaches, Get Ahead regional directors or other business owners can give you a host of ideas to help you.

Be a finisher

As entrepreneurs and business owners, we love having new ideas and getting them off the ground. When we do this, we’re “starters.” A starter is a fantastic thing to be and without us, the world would be a boring place with no opportunities. 

But the end of the year is the time to be a finisher. Finishers have the commitment and maturity to see their goals through to the end. Finishing can be less exciting than starting, but it is what makes the project worthwhile. 

(By the way, if you’re not a finisher and know you never will be, consider outsourcing – see below!)

Celebrate your achievements

When we complete our annual or Q4 goals, it’s time to celebrate! Be proud of what you and your team have achieved. We can all gain more from the achievement by learning from it – what went well and what was a struggle? The successes show us what we could be building on next year and may help shape our business purpose and brand. And the struggles will be easier next time if we learn from the experience. 

Achieve your business goals with outsourced support

The Get Ahead team are great at unblocking businesses which have got stuck for want of the right support. Our virtual experts can take on the tasks you procrastinate about, or fill a skills gap to help you complete a goal or project. To find out more, contact your local regional director today, or explore our site for more business resources. 

It would be so easy to achieve your business goals if you only had more time! But did you know that one focused, productive hour can still make a big difference? Sometimes completing just one task can remove the barrier between you and your business goals.

In this blog, regional director Lisa Middleton shares her suggestions for jobs you can do in one hour, and explains how they contribute to the wider business picture.

1. Revisit your goals and update your plan

It’s really easy to set business goals…and then get bogged down with everyday tasks and firefighting. So when I find myself with some breathing space, I like to revisit my business goals and take stock of where I am. I might run a financial report on Xero and to check my profits and losses – this helps me understand how close I am to financial goals.  I might look at my social media analytics and see whether I’m increasing my reach and whether it’s translating into more business. 

Once I’ve taken stock of where I am in relation to my goals, I can update my original action plan according to the current picture. 

2. Delegate a task

There comes a time with any business when, in order to expand, we have to ask for help, delegate a task or choose outsourcing. If the recent snapshot of your business shows you’ve got too much on your plate, use your spare hour to delegate or outsource. 

When I do this, the person I need to speak to might not be immediately available. However, I use the time to write a brief and gather information together for the other person to use when they take over the task. This makes the handover easier when the time comes. 

3. Read and reply to testimonials

Your clients and customers are a great barometer of business success. Both positive and negative feedback can help you improve, and ultimately achieve your business goals. 

If one of your goals is around improving customer service, replying to reviews is a no-brainer. And if there are any negative reviews, remember that replying to them, addressing problems and nipping bad press in the bud should be a priority. 

In addition, testimonials can also give us valuable insights into our businesses. Read reviews and ask yourself whether your customers see your business the same way you do. Do you have a hidden strength you should be shouting about? 

4. Write and schedule a month’s social media

Many business goals are centred on expanding into new markets. Social media is a fantastic tool for building personal connections, targeting specific audiences and creating authentic content. 

So whether you book in an hour’s desk time or find yourself unexpectedly free, use your hour to create and schedule social content. Make it easy for yourself and follow a pattern. You might choose a weekly theme, or follow a timetable so you always do the same type of post on the same day. Use your own pictures for added authenticity and use a template app like Canva to achieve an on-brand look. Read more of our social media tips here!

5. Create or refine a list of prospects

Directly connecting with prospects is one of the most effective ways of building your business, so why not take time to start or review your prospect list? From developing your relationship with existing customers to reaching out to someone completely new, business development conversations are always worth having. Consider connecting with business owners in fields that complement your business, and do your homework to find out what challenges they are facing and how you could help. 

Outsource to Get Ahead and achieve your goals

Even if you don’t have the luxury of a whole hour to focus on a specific task, we do! Outsourcing is a great way of winning back time so you can focus on the area of your business that needs it most. Check out our list of jobs a virtual expert can do in just one hour – which one would make the biggest difference to you? 

Outsource finance admin, bookkeeping or accounting and you could find your business running more smoothly.

There is lots of support out there for business owners who need help managing their finances. From a day-to-day finance admin service to in-depth accountancy, there is a solution for every situation and every type of business.

In this blog, we look at the different levels of finance input available, and how to work out what’s right for you.

What outsourced roles are available to help with finance?
Finance administrator

The finance administrator’s job is to raise invoices, answer queries and chase payments on a daily basis. They manage expenses, ensuring that outgoings like petrol, phone bills and coffee (!) all have their corresponding receipt so you can see where your money is going. Most finance administrators are familiar with accounting apps like Xero and Quickbooks. They can use these to generate reports so you can see your profit and loss at a glance. A finance administrator will also submit financial records to your accountant at regular points doing the year.

Unlike bookkeepers and accountants, finance administrators don’t usually hold formal qualifications. Instead, they’re usually highly organised people with a head for figures. They combine their natural abilities with experience to provide the finance help your business deserves. 

A finance administrator is usually the cheapest option. 

Bookkeeper

The roles of a bookkeeper and a finance admin overlap, and most businesses have one or other. However, the bookkeeper’s role is a little different from that of a finance admin. Bookkeepers have usually undergone specific finance training and may hold qualifications in bookkeeping. This means they can analyse figures as well as generating them, and can often contribute to decision making.

A bookkeeper’s hourly rate may be higher than that of a finance admin, because the bookkeeper holds more qualifications and responsibility. 

Accountant

Accountancy covers financial reporting and compliance, including tax, VAT and auditing. Accountants look at business finance in detail and check you’ve followed all the regulations you need to. Unless your business finance is complicated, you might only use accountancy services once a year.

Not all businesses need an accountant, particularly if your turnover is below the VAT threshold. 

This is the most expensive option, but you might pay for it as a one-off service.

What type of business finance support do I need?

The first thing to say is that you don’t necessarily need any support in this area at all. If you’re confident keeping your books and reconciling your accounts, and your business is straightforward, carry on! 

But if finance isn’t your forte, or you’re procrastinating about it because you secretly hate it, or you just don’t have time to do it, outsourcing financial admin is a good place to start. 

If your business has straightforward income and outgoings, a finance administrator will probably be enough for your needs. But if you need more input and advice, having a bookkeeper play a regular part in your day-to-day business is a good idea.

If you have a high turnover, or your finances are complicated, it’s a good idea to engage an accountant. For example, if you are a charity and have to account for your spending, or your corporate social responsibility gives you tax breaks, you might need some more in-depth help. 

Outsource financial admin

If you feel it’s time to outsource your financial admin or find a bookkeeper or accountant to work with you, Get Ahead are here to help. Our experienced regional directors can help you identify the right level of support, giving you the service you need and value for money too. Get in touch to find out more.

PS – we’ve put together an infographic on the key differences between a finance admin, bookkeeper and accountant – check it out here!

Outsource financial admin and you’ll be well on the way to running an efficient business. But if you’re a business owner who doesn’t like finance, you’re not alone. And if you’re thinking of setting up a business but you’re worried about the numbers side, we’re here to tell you it shouldn’t hold you back. 

In this blog, we talk to finance administration expert Holly, who answers the top questions new business owners ask. 

Where do I start with business finance?

Holly: Finance platforms like Xero and QuickBooks have made life much easier for business owners – I’d strongly recommend subscribing to one. I personally like Xero but it’s a good idea to watch some YouTube demos, read about what the different platforms offer and choose the one that you feel will work for you. 

It’s important to remember that these platforms don’t take away the finance work completely. You will still need to do your own reconciliation, which is when you prove your income and expenditure with receipts and invoices. 

I’m a bit disorganised – how do I keep track of receipts and invoices? 

Holly: Don’t worry – you’re not alone! The easiest thing to do is set up a dedicated email address for suppliers to send invoices to so all the invoices are in one place. This means you can find them easily when it’s time to reconcile the accounts. 

There are also some great “receipt” apps which are compatible with Xero and other platforms. For example, if you meet a client for coffee, you get a receipt and photograph it using the app so the information can be added when you’re reclaiming tax. This means the information on the receipt is stored in the right place and you can throw the paper one away.   

How do I chase unpaid invoices?

Holly: Automation has definitely made chasing invoices easier. Instead of making an awkward phone call, you can now send automatic reminders via an app. There are a number of apps available. I personally like Chaser, because it’s really easy to personalise the message if you need to. It also lets you turn off reminders if, for example, you’ve heard from the client and already know the payment is going to be late. Automation doesn’t have to undermine a good working relationship! 

What about VAT and tax thresholds? 

Holly: Tax can get very complicated but the important thing to know is that how much you pay is based on your profits and turnover. This means that you probably won’t have to worry about VAT registration when you first set your business up. You can find more information on the HMRC website here.

I do what I love but how do I make it pay?

Holly: Most business owners work in a field they know and love – it’s the best way to stay interested in what you’re doing. But to stop it from just being a hobby, consider what income you need to make from it, and what expenditure you are likely to have. 

You can gather financial reports and profit-and-loss data from your accounting app, which should give you a sense of how well your business is doing. With this information, you can forecast your figures, identify next steps like how to sell more of your product, and make key decisions like whether to take on more staff.

Outsource financial admin to Get Ahead

Get Ahead provides financial administration services to a wide variety of businesses across the country. We know that finance is both a business essential and a source of stress, so we’ve put together a range of resources to help you. Check them out! 

Blogs:

Is Xero a replacement for my accountant? – Get Ahead VA

Why are financial goals important for my business? – Get Ahead VA

Effective ways to chase unpaid invoices – Get Ahead VA

Regular accounting tasks for small businesses – Get Ahead VA

Infographic: 

Regular Finance Tasks for Small Businesses – Get Ahead VA

Many business owners experience barriers to delegation – potentially disastrous as your business cannot grow without it. Sometimes there is a deep-seated reason why you can’t ask for help; for others, it just hasn’t occurred to them! 

In this blog, we look at common reasons business owners struggle with delegating, and consider the ways you could overcome them.

Common barriers to delegation

1. Imposter syndrome

When we experience imposter syndrome, we believe that we’re an imposter in our sector. We feel like we shouldn’t be in the role of a business owner, or we don’t feel like we’re qualified to work in that industry. Imposter syndrome – unlike actual fraud – is when we have all the qualifications and experience to do our jobs, but we still feel like we shouldn’t be there.

Imposter syndrome is a barrier to delegation because if we don’t feel entitled to do our jobs, how on earth can we take the lead when we ask someone else to do it? And how can we give feedback with confidence? 

Sometimes, all we need to overcome imposter syndrome is a quick reality check. Look back at your qualifications, if you have them. And if you’re a graduate of the University of Life, spend time remembering how you learned all the skills that got you where you are today. 

If your imposter syndrome is more serious than that, it could be helpful to talk to a life- or business-coach. We have quite a few in our business family – talk to your local regional director if you would like an introduction. 

2. “It’s quicker to do it myself than show someone else.”

We’ve all said this at some point! But the truth is, showing someone else is a long-term investment in your business. Certainly, the first time you do it, briefing your staff member or outsourced support will take time. However, once that initial briefing is out of the way, your business now has two people who know how to do it, instead of just one. This means one less thing on your to-do list; it also gives the business flexibility as either one of you can take responsibility for it in future. 

Accepting that you will “lose” an hour while you brief someone else on how to do it is easier when you also see the long-term advantages you’ll gain in return. 

3. Micromanagement 

Micromanagement is often a symptom of a lack of trust. If you don’t trust your staff or external support team, ask yourself why not. If their work is rubbish, stop micromanaging and hire someone else! And if the problem is with you, take action. Remind yourself that your team doesn’t want to do a bad job – they’re on career paths too.  

Overcome barriers to delegation when you outsource to Get Ahead

If you’re struggling to ask for help, Get Ahead could be a good way to start. You’ll have a single point of contact in the form of your local regional director – they’ll be able to introduce you to the right expert who knows your industry and also has the right personality. 

Often, they’ll encourage you to start small, perhaps with some outsourced diary management. If that goes well, you have the option to increase the amount of support you receive. You’ll never be locked into a long contract, and there’s always the option to add or subtract services as your needs change. We hope it will all go well, but if anything doesn’t make the grade, you can discuss it with your regional director. This means you don’t have to give feedback directly to your virtual expert if you don’t feel comfortable.

If you’re ready for Get Ahead to support you, get in touch today – we’d love to hear from you! And if you’d like more information on how to outsource successfully, download our ebook here.