Process documentation is such a big endeavor that folks get overwhelmed just thinking about it. It takes years and is never really completed because things change and improve, so the documentation is updated and revised for the rest of the business lifetime.
This is daunting to say the least. It’s definitely not a one and done kind of project. It has to become a cultural norm in your business. There has to be a culture of curiosity and exploration and a desire to transfer and share knowledge from one person to another.
Fear of Sharing the Knowledge
People who hoard their knowledge and lord it over others become terrified if someone else knows how to do what they do. They’re the ones who want to be indispensable, but wonder why they never get promoted. They’re stuck in their position simply because they are not willing to share their knowledge. This is not a position you as the business owner want to be in.
When you started your business, you did everything. You know how to DO everything. But now that your business is growing, there are more balls to roll, plates to turn, and buttons to push than you can handle… It’s time to give up control and share your knowledge. This will give you the opportunity to be promoted from employee of your business to manager and OWNER of your business.
When You Share Knowledge
Wouldn’t it be great to come into the office, drop an idea for your next offer, and watch as your team picks it up and runs with it? They create all the ads, marketing materials, sales info, and you just edit and approve. It’s still your baby, but you have a village of people to help you raise it. A team of stewards to feed, clean, and train your baby according to your values, morals, and standards.
When you share your knowledge, this can (and will) absolutely happen.
Documenting your business processes is not for the faint of heart. It’s work and it takes time, but the time it saves in the long run totally outweighs the effort to get it done. The results of having your business “on paper” and running efficiently are exponential.
And if you’re looking to grow your business in order to sell it, having the documentation in place to train new owners is invaluable and will raise the price of your business, because you’ve got it all figured out and they don’t have to do that work.
Learn more about how you can “clone yourself” and make your “mini-mes” by downloading the First Step to Cloning Yourself
Looks like we both learned something last weejk