We were inspired by the story of a successful business owner who had been working seven days a week to the point of exhaustion. Their coach pointed out that the owner needed to take time to recharge in preparation for transition.
The advice they received was to take six weeks off. At first it was incredulous thinking the business wouldn’t survive, never mind grow faster if the owner took time off. But they took a leap of faith and went to Europe for six weeks. Surprisingly, the business got better, then, encouraged by that success they took three months off. And the business got even better.
Recharge in Preparation for Transition and Innovation
The owner explained, “I got my most creative ideas and thought about better ways for reinventing my business when I was away. They enabled me to grow in a way I couldn’t have imagined when I had my nose to the grindstone.”
“In my absence, these people rose to the occasion and took responsibility to do what had to be done. They implemented ideas that they had been sitting on. The overall effect was a significant increase in revenue while at the same time we reduced costs. It was so successful, I decided to take three months off every year and do volunteer work overseas!”
A Sabbatical Would Fulfill Many Aspirations
Taking a sabbatical was an opportunity to spend some quality time with their spouse, enhancing their relationship and make sure that they would continue to be best friends as they grew older together.
A break would recharge their batteries and give the owner an opportunity to look at the business from a different perspective and consider new ways to grow.
Giving your leadership team the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and stretch themselves.
Pre-Transition Test
We recommend thinking about the opportunities a sabbatical offers you, then think about it as a ‘pre-transition test’ to measure:
- How well you’ve built your management team.
- Your ability to let go.
- Your ability to try new things.
- The quality of relationships.
- Your inner strength.
Contact us if you’re looking to build the quality and confidence of your team.
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