This is one of the hardest learned lessons for growing businesses. Sooner or later you’re going to realize that you can’t do it all yourself. You’re going to have to let some things go. You might choose to give up some of the clerical or admin tasks, or you might need someone to do the same thing that you do. No matter what task you’re giving up, it is very important to realize that even if you’re not doing the work, it’s still your responsibility to make sure it’s done right.
It’s easy to place blame on someone else but that simply doesn’t fly for a small business. It is important to address the issue with your team member however when it comes to the customer response, the buck stops with you, and only you.
There’s a reason I stuck my name on my company when I incorporated. I needed that reminder that my butt is on the line with every job my company does. It’s my responsibility to check work and make sure everything meets the same standards I would expect from myself. If a team member falters, I need to be the one to pick them up.
It’ll take time to learn where the pain points exist. As they occur you can put policies and procedures in place to prevent these issues from happening again. This can be as simple as checklists for every task, or full on guides on how work is expected to be completed.
Mistakes happen, and that’s okay so long as you take responsibility and work to make it right, both with your team and your customers.
