Business Opportunities Weblog

September 2, 2008 by Rich Whittle | 2 Comments

Start Up Blog:

I just got back from a one-month vacation in Sicily.

You may ask how I did this. Isn’t it hard to own a company and take time off? Don’t you worry about everything going to heck while you’re away?

Not for me.

Why? One thing: An awesome team.

The talent, skill, intelligence and commitment of the staff at Next Step is so strong that I didn’t even flinch about leaving for a month. Each of their roles are clear. I trust them. And they don’t need to be micromanaged anyway.

The results were unambiguous: We made our summer budget and also our September budget while I was away. My team is even throwing me a welcome-back lunch tomorrow! God, I love them. And I am very proud.

A friend asked me how I felt about the fact that the company did just fine without me. He was implying that my ego may have been bruised because I didn’t feel “needed” anymore. I actually felt quite the opposite. I felt smart for hiring such great people that can run the show without me. Seems to me it’s the sign of a good leader when he or she is surrounded by–and holds onto–A players.

Photo by eschu1952.

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Tags: Advice, Operations, Vacation