Don't Be The Resource
Are you stuck in the never-ending cycle of being the technician in your business?
It's a common part of the journey that all of us experience when we start our own businesses. You're wearing all the hats & handling every aspect of your business - from winning the work to delivering the work, to admin, HR, marketing, operations etc - and it can sometimes feel like a hamster wheel.
But here's the deal – in order for your business to grow, you'll need to make the time to step out of the technician business owner mindset and into the entrepreneurial business owner mindset. You’ll need to focus on controlling the resources, not being the resource.
Regardless of whether you're a single person business owner or running a $10 million per year consultancy, the goal is the same: shift your thinking from the technician business owner to the entrepreneurial conductor. You want to be the one shaping the vision, guiding your team, and orchestrating the path to success, not stuck in the daily grind.
Now, I get it. Sometimes you'll have to get your hands dirty, deliver that report, or handle a specific task. But the key is to minimise these instances. You want to spend as much time as you can focusing on the bigger picture, the long-term strategy, and the growth of your business.
No matter the size of your business, it's time to start thinking about what you can outsource. Get a virtual assistant to help with administrative tasks, delegate bookkeeping, and streamline your operations. Shift from being the technician to the conductor, from working in the business to working on the business.
But here's the thing – as you make this shift, you're going to face two significant challenges.
First, you'll encounter pushback. Clients and team members may resist your change in behaviour. They're accustomed to you being the go-to person who always jumps in to save the day. You'll need to retrain them to adapt to the new you, the business owner who controls the resources (not being the resource). You’ll need to train your team to stand on their own two feet and get used to solving problems themselves.
The second challenge is your own internal pushback. If your self-worth & feeling good about yourself is tied to short-term “getting stuff done”, you might feel uncomfortable as you transition to an entrepreneurial mindset. Shifting from technician to entrepreneur means less immediate return on your time investment. If you're used to the comfort of ticking tasks off your list and recording billable hours, the change can be uncomfortable – and you’ll sometimes want to slip back into technician just so you feel good again.
Don’t!
Awareness is your secret weapon here. Recognise that you'll face pushback from others and a part of you might resist the change. Once you're aware, you can navigate these challenges effectively. The first step is to acknowledge what's happening.
So, are you ready to make that shift from being the resource to controlling the resources? Do you want to be the conductor & the captain of your business's success, looking at the bigger picture and guiding your team to achieve it?
It's a journey, and it's not always easy, but it's so worth it. You can build a business that doesn't rely on you and empowers your team to perform at a higher level. Embrace the challenges, retrain your focus & approach, and be prepared for some internal resistance.
Remember, awareness is the key. As you transition, you'll be navigating these challenges and evolving into the entrepreneur you aspire to be. The path from technician to entrepreneur is an incredible journey, and with the right mindset, awareness & dedication, you'll orchestrate your success and build a business that thrives without you being a resource.
If you’d like to learn more, please take a look at my most recent podcast episode on this exact topic:
Click here for the podcast episode.
Click here to watch the video.
Josh ‘Conductor’ Stone
PS: If you’re interested, here are 4 ways I can help you right now:
- Join the Leaders In Engineering community designed specifically for leaders and business owners
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Join our training program designed to help you focus on the core areas of growing your team, your business and yourself in the process. Together we'll work on winning work, business development & client relationships. We'll look at strategies for team performance, project performance as well as your leadership skills to motivate and get the most from the people around you. We'll also focus on your growth as a leader, effective delegation to those around you and only focusing on the strategic activities that move the needle and make the biggest difference. - Just send me an email at [email protected] with the word “PROGRAM” and I’ll get you some more information.
