Just get out of the way.
By Casey Schultz, Agency Partner
My wife and I recently enjoyed some time away from wintery SD and took in a little R&R in a much sunnier destination, south of the border. It was great. I’m not writing this post to gush about our getaway, but more so to express how frightening the time away was. It has nothing to do with travel, customs, foreign food or phobias. I was nervous leaving the office. More specifically, I was nervous to be absent from our team.
It sounds silly now that I’m back in the action, but at the time I had no idea what to expect going into it. Have I answered everyone’s questions? Did I leave anyone hanging on project details? Am I dropping the ball on my portion of projects? What should I take with me to work on while I’m out?
Give me a break.
As a partner in our agency, it’s hard to not feel 100% responsible for 100% of every single detail that is related to our company. Let’s face it, that’s what we signed up for when we decided to start our own company nearly 8 years ago. But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. I mean, who wants to sit through healthcare renewals every year only to know that at the end of each meeting is going to be a ridiculous rate increase. Every. Single. Year.
Then the voice of reason creeps into your head – But isn’t that why we hired our team members? They know what they’re doing, right? They’re responsible enough to keep things moving, right?
Yes, yes, 110% yes.
What was I worried about again? And why was I sweating those silly details? Looking back, I’m not sure anymore. Our team didn’t miss a beat. They might not have even noticed I was even gone (sniffle)! Brad and I have always told our team that we’re not good at ‘holding our employees hands’ along the way, but instead we want everyone to spread their wings and do their thing, add their talent, and don’t let us handcuff their abilities.
In the end, my thoughts are pretty simple: Our team is awesome. I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of this squad that shows up and works like crazy for each and every client we have. It’s a pretty good feeling knowing that we’ve got such a great group of people all with similar ambitions and goals, not to mention the work ethic to support them.
As much as I like the ‘grind’ everyday of being in the office with the team, a little time away certainly gives us all time to clear our heads and recharge a bit. Now that I realize just how great our team is, maybe I should schedule that Myrtle Beach golf excursion or maybe that hunting trip to Alaska…. The possibilities are endless. Regardless, I won’t have to worry about the team at the office, I just need to get out of their way.