I don't want to miss Saigon

I’m going away on holiday and I’m a little anxious.

When I started my business, one of the things I learned was that I can’t do everything myself.

I got myself an accountant, a VA, a business coach, a marketer, and later, a HR team. Having that support around me meant that I could focus on my business, in terms of servicing my retained clients as well as attracting new clients. 

It also means that I can switch off too.  I can go away without worrying too much about work, knowing that I have a capable and supportive network around me.

Since starting my business a few years ago, I’ve been away a few times.  If you’ve been here a while and read my previous blogs, you will have seen that I’ve been to Italy, Greece, Austria and America in the recent past.  I got a break from work and my team coped perfectly.

However, next month (October), I’m leaving my business for almost three weeks.  My wife and I – with her brother and his partner – are going to the Far East.  This holiday is titled 'Play In The Sunshine' - more details in next month's blog.

FORCED TO BE UNAVAILABLE

We are going to land in Tokyo and go on a cruise which takes in Hong Kong, Singapore and Ho Chi Minh (formerly known as Saigon) amongst other places. 

I’ll have my laptop with me just in case, but there are two issues - the lack of internet while at sea; and the time-difference of eight hours. 

These issues mean that I’m forced to be unavailable, particularly at the times when my team and my clients are available - and this is all making me anxious which, in turn, is making me ill. 

All this means that I have to lead from the front, particularly in terms of ‘taking my own medicine’ – helping myself with the tips, advice and support which I usually deliver to my retained clients – and putting coping mechanisms in place to mitigate these feelings.

DON’T THINK ABOUT WORK

With a focus on mental (as well as physical) health, I advocate regular breaks from work.  If you are an employer, you need to get away and switch off from the business, whether it’s for an evening, a weekend, or a couple of weeks. 

Being ‘permanently on’ can have a detrimental long-term effect; but similarly, the breaks won’t help if you’re still thinking about work. 

Having the right structure in place – whether this means temporary staff, an in-house team, or a wider support network – is imperative to being able to take a proper break.

As an employer, you have to put procedures and protocols in place to ensure business continuity while being able to switch off.  In my business, I have a pre-break checklist to cover, both personally and for my team. 

I implicitly trust my team – they know what they need to do.  They can deal with clients and the day-to-day running of the business.  Of course, my clients are all fabulous too, and I’m grateful to be in a position to work with clients with whom I have aligned values.

WHO COMES FIRST?

Once you have everything else in place, you need to look after yourself too.  It is easy to say you want to mitigate anxiety, but doing this in practice is much harder.

Over the years, I have learned that running a business means that it is always on my mind – even when I don’t think it is.  It is not easy to forget about it all, and this isn’t something I recommend anyway – rather, I always say that your business should be able to run without you (at least for a short period).

In moments of reflection, I remember that I’ve been on holiday before – I’ve been away, my team have been great, and my business has survived – I often have to remind myself of previous successes, and this is something that I recommend all employers do.

A lot of business owners feel anxiety when stepping away, even when they have a capable team. The fact I do trust them but still feel ill over it suggests that it’s more about control, habit, and responsibility than actual competence (theirs or mine).

BOUNDARIES

I don’t want my team contacting me, except in emergencies.  Of course, they can contact me anytime, with anything.  

But I can rest in the knowledge that they don’t want to.  We have protocols in place for whatis deemed an emergency, and how they can get in touch with me.  To be honest, they don’t want to bother mewith everything, and it’s appreciated.

My team of Louise and Jessica have been with me for a while, and Hayley has been with the team long enough to be able to deal with client issues.  Between them, I know they will cope brilliantly and deal with as much as they can.

I am taking my laptop with me, just in case, but for reasons outlined earlier – such as the lack of internet and the time difference – I will only need it in emergencies.

When working with retained clients, I often talk about having boundaries in place.  I recommend having regular check-ins with your team, but you don’t need to have Zoom calls while on the beach – a non-intrusive email here and there should suffice, just to check in without being overbearing or micromanaging work.

Of course, from a HR perspective, employing the right people is absolutely key – and this will have long-term benefits of business success, giving you the confidence to trust them.

A TEST OF STRENGTH

As I said, I’ve been away before, but this feels particular trip feels like a great test of the strength of my business.  The forced unavailability alongside the extended period of absence (my longest trip has previously been two weeks).

As employers, you should model good leadership; trust your team; show your clients that your business is bigger than you; and prove that you can step back.  In turn, your team will grow in confidence and appreciate the trust you place in them.

GET IN TOUCH

If you need an experienced, independent HR partner in your business – so you can concentrate on your team, your business, and yourself – then please do not hesitate to get in touch to arrange a chat about how AJB HR Consultancy Services can support you and your business.

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