Your team and the 80% rule

If you have a team in your food or hospitality business, that's making your life easier, right? Because you're delegating to them and so there's less for you to do. Or perhaps you're not really delegating, you're paying them to do things, and then doing them yourself because you'll do a better job. Or are they are doing the task but you're hovering over them, or following behind dealing with the chaos they inevitably cause.

If any of this rings true for you then you probably don't trust your staff to perform to a high standard. And if you don't trust them to perform to a high standard, either that standard is too high, or your staff are crap. Just kidding, I'm sure your staff aren't crap they just might need a little polishing.

Your business is your baby, you have built it from scratch with your blood, sweat and tears and every time you see someone on your team do something to a less than perfect standard you could weep. The reality is that it is very unlikely that anyone you employ is ever going to care quite as much as you. It isn't their baby. If they will do the task 80% as well as you would, that is enough. If you demand perfection, you will never delegate anything and you won't be able to free up time to grow your business or lie on a sun lounger by a pool.

If your team are doing tasks less than 80% as well as you would do them; training is needed. Assuming they are not completely incompetent, and you probably wouldn't have them on your team if they were, then they can almost certainly be taught to do tasks in the way you want them done. Training staff can be tedious, and if you're not a natural at managing people, it can be challenging, but if you want to work less hours and spend more time working on, rather than in, your business, it is necessary.

If you have a team but you are still working too many hours, now is the time to have a think about why that is. If you are clinging on to control, learn to let go a little. Perfection is never really attainable, and it isn't necessary, start practising releasing that iron grip. If releasing that grip would lead to disaster, put some more time into training your team, it will pay dividends.