Fellow entrepreneurs, did you know that there may be some members of your team who care as passionately about the success of your business as you do? It’s true. They’re known as intrepreneurs because they work with the same work ethic you do, except they’re happy to let you be the boss.
There are a lot of people out there who love going to work every day and a few super ambitious individuals who look forward to business innovations and calculating risks who have no desire to front a startup or be the boss. Seriously. These people are gems. Let them shine. So cheesy, and so true.
An intrepreneur doesn’t have to be your VP, they can be someone who is passionate about one aspect of your business, and it’s in your best interests to identify that person and let them excel. For example, let’s say you’ve got someone on your team who talks about excellent customer service experiences in their daily life during lunch break. Are they handling your customer service? They should be! They are all about customer retention! Consider asking them if that’s 
something they would like to do. You know those staff reviews that you engage in every year? Ask your team what their dream jobs would be within the company. You may have someone on your team who is a video wizard, a social media diva, or an organizational nerd. Let them use their talents for your business! Job titles and roles don’t have to be traditional as long as expectations are clear.
In order for you to confidently hand over control of a department or task, you will want to ensure that the employee you’re giving this opportunity to is invested in the company. That is a very difficult task, if not impossible. We’ve all got friends who loved their job the first year, then hated it a year later. Part of employee retention is about making your team feel valued, and happy. In offering them the opportunity to take on a bigger challenge, one that they feel passionately about at that, you may, in turn, be fostering the loving feeling that helps keep excellent employees on your team. Do your part as a leader. Ensure that your intrepreneurs are well supported, have access to education and training, and are given the chance to take chances. Of course, you have to have final say, but hear them out when they come up with something that sounds implausible – very few understood how to make Facebook work for business in those early days, and now look at us all. You gave this person the position of power because they’re highly knowledgeable, and you trust them. So trust them.
Discovering intrepreneurs on your team isn’t the same as delegating. You might get lucky and one of your staff will discover a passion for project management that they wouldn’t have otherwise realized without being stuck with it, but that’s not as likely. Talk to your team individually to find out what about your business specifically makes them want to come to work in the morning, and then figure out how you can harness this unrealized superpower.
Jelly Triangle offers a range of services designed to help you do better business. Book your commitment-free consultation to find out where your website and digital marketing could use some tuning up by calling 519-624-8888.
