The learning curve never ends. As APM Cleaning and Repair continues to grow, the broad spectrum of daily tasks and activities multiplies, with increasing volume and urgency.
In the early days, I became perfectly used to picking up a task and running with it, developing new systems and the most efficient way of carrying out a daily working routine.
As these tasks obviously increased, my days became a marathon of getting through the essentials, without the opportunity to consider the bigger picture and spend time making more strategic decisions and plans.
Now thankfully, I have learned that I cannot do everything and although multitasking remains a strength of which I am very proud, my focus is firmly on the future, and I have learned to offload and outsource.
Recognising which tasks are prime for passing on is yet another skill and that is where my almost obsessive planning and preparing of tables and schedules kicks in.
By identifying not only a multitude of smaller tasks but a fair number of larger jobs, which some other members of the team have not only been recruited to cover, but they are also better at than me, and have more time to devote to that particular job; meaning it is completed more satisfactorily and on a regular basis; reassuring for both me and our customers. Why recruit staff if you don’t give them work to suit their role – right?
Clinging on to tasks is a mistake and I have also learned that just because I used to carry out a particular function, doesn’t mean that someone else cannot do it as well, or even better than me.
So, by passing on bookkeeping, figures analysis, HR tasks, reporting, invoicing and general operations, I am free (and I use the term loosely) to strategise and step in where I am needed.
Now, where’s that mop?
