Summer’s winding down, but there’s still plenty of time to take a vacation—and if you’re in a position of leadership, that’s something I can’t recommend highly enough.
Far too often, leaders fall into the easy trap of thinking they have to be there, hands-on, day in and day out… that the place will fall apart without them.
This is damaging for a couple of reasons. One, it shows that you don’t really trust the team you’ve built—and don’t think they won’t pick up on it. You’ve got to show them that you believe in their ability to get the job done, even without you there looking over their shoulders. And two, not taking a vacation means that you’re running yourself ragged, not taking the much-needed time off for mental restoration and refocus.
I urge you to take a vacation this year, even if it’s just for a week; if you don’t like the beach or the hot, hazy weather, then wait until fall and do it up right. When you do vacation, though, make sure it’s a season of true relaxation.
Let me tell you how:
Plan! Meet with key team members well in advance of your vacation and brief them on upcoming issues. Make sure all your daily duties are clearly designated to your team members before you go—that everyone knows what he or she needs to do and has plenty of time to ask you any questions they might have.
Assign decision-making abilities to just a few. Make it clear who has executive decision-making abilities while you’re gone, and don’t assign such powers to more than a small handful of people.
Set up an e-mail auto responder. Give it a single point of contact: I’m out of the office until [Date], but if you have an emergency before then please contact [Person on your team].
Reach out to key clients. Let them know you’re taking some time off, and ask what you can do to help them before you go.
Set the right expectations with your family. Tell them your vacation is all about spending time together—that you’re not going to be working on the trip, and that you really want to be present in the moment with them!
Taking a vacation is one of the best things you can do for your business, and for yourself. Invest in yourself by taking a step back—and really make it count.