Growth Through Procrastination
By Mark Faust
Have you put off implementing an effort—one that could significantly impact your business or life? We all procrastinate, but how we react to this alarm bell makes the difference. When there are initiatives that are painful but important for you to do, you can use a few insights and steps to help to unlock the chains of procrastination. This includes leveraging the turnaround mindset. It builds on three principles:
- All growth occurs in relationships.
- Your weakness can be your strength.
- Your crisis can be your gift.
As entrepreneurs and successful leaders, we may think we should be willing and able to do most anything ourselves—whether it’s the proverbial “I’m willing to clean the toilets” or “I need to be responsible for getting this big project done.” But if procrastination holds you back from doing something to grow you or your business, then perhaps you aren’t the best person for the job.
Odds are, a slew of people are much better and happier to do the exact job on which you are procrastinating, and they are willing to do it for a fraction of the value of your time. It isn’t just outsourcing. It could be hiring a coach to help you be accountable or a consultant who gives you insights. These are relationships that can accelerate growth.
If the project isn’t your forte or you just don’t want to do it, then that weakness can be your strength.
Realizing that you are a visionary or starter and that someone else is a better implementer or finisher is why you are a leader.
Here’s how this delegation can work. One client’s company grew from $0 to $40 million in annualized revenue in 14 months. Three and a half employees manage more than 20 virtual assistants and more than a dozen vendors. The founders focus on their greatest strengths and delegate most everything else. That isn’t laziness. It is innovativeness.
To hand off responsibilities successfully, find great clarity on these questions:
- Specifically, what do you want the results to be with this accomplishment?
- How will you measure excellence versus mediocrity in the results?
- Why is this important to you and others?
- What are the risks and costs of not successfully accomplishing this?
- What rewards are you willing to share with those who help complete this?
It is astonishing that more of us aren’t leveraging the blessing of the alarm bell we feel when procrastinating and using it to accelerate growth.
Mark Faust Sr. works with owners, CEOs and sales managers who want to grow their businesses. He is a growth consultant, bestselling author of “Growth or Bust! & High Growth Levers and a Coach to successful leaders.” He has been a Growth Advisor, Speaker, and Turnaround Facilitator with Echelon Management since 1990.
