The Power of Disconnecting
I went to Australia and New Zealand for three weeks and did not check email…not at all…not even a peek.
I did check-in with my executive assistant, but only once. The trip was a bucket list trip and one full of yesses…I paraglided!! I intentionally made sure it was also a trip where I could be present and engaged with what was happening there and not with what was happening in a different hemisphere. I also knew that I might learn a thing or two about the business and team.
So what happened?
Nothing bad and a lot good. Status of the business—it's better than when I left it. We confirmed a new advisory client, several people reached out to learn more about our services (and my EA, Tammy, got them on the calendar), and I'm not sure our clients noticed I was gone. In one case, our consultant Veronique hit it out of the park with her Black History Month event, that I'm not sure that our client wants me back…lol.
How do I feel?
AWESOME! I feel like I should feel different, like I should be sad that I wasn't missed more or that I missed opportunities to do what I love or that I wasn't really needed. I've told that one cell to F-off…cuz, I want to relish this awesome feeling.
I am stoked for our company, stoked for our team, and stoked for me.
What did I do?
I did not just up and leave. I spent the month before leaving very intentionally communicating my planned absence. For my clients and potential clients, I told them early that I was leaving and we created a plan for what could get done while I was away…most of it was scheduling work for when I returned. I introduced them to the team and made sure they knew who to call for what. Finally, I made sure every stakeholder knew how to get a hold of me if they needed to. Not one client had a concern that I was going to be gone and no one sent out the bat signal…or should I say the Bett signal.
For my team, we talked about what could be done while I was away, guidelines for decisions, and "what's the worst thing that could happen?" That last question is such an important question to discuss, because it allowed me to share what things would upset me, allowed them to ask questions and share their worst things, and then we could have real conversations about how to deal with different scenarios. For me, this was really important, because if I returned and something happened that I didn't mention during that conversation, then I knew there was nothing for me to get upset about. I can't get upset with my team about something I never told them about.
What did I learn?
I actually learned a number of years ago, in my previous role, the magic of getting out of the way. We were in the process of creating resource groups and it's my belief that the people who want the resource groups should be the ones to create them. So we developed a process to do so that provided guidelines for success, structure to ensure integration with the organization and other groups, and then let them do the rest. Though I was attached to how to build a resource group well, after seeing so many struggle, I pushed myself to let go of what projects the groups committed to. What I learned was that people do amazing things when they are given the forum to do so. Some of the ideas the resource groups came up with were so awesome and instead of being sad that I didn't come up with the idea myself, I was stoked by the impact these groups were making because I got out of the way. To be transparent, it wasn't always easy. Many in the groups had never been empowered to make an impact in such a way, but were used to executing on goals…so that was a growth spurt. It was also important to ensure everything had the right impact, so as those groups found their voice, it didn't mean they could do everything they wanted…I know that was at times was frustrating. The net lesson: we were all better for the experience.
I applied the same ideas with my team. Yes, they are amazing and brilliant…isn't every team when they rise up and kick ass? But what is most important is that they had the space to bring their amazing and brilliance because I got out of the way. I provided the guidelines, we had the right discussions, so that while I was gone, the team solved problems on their own. They rose up to take care of clients in the way that worked for them and not how I would have coached them to do it—and we all know being our authentic selves way out classes trying to do things someone else's way. In the void that was created by my absence, they created new opportunities…and guess what, that's the best part ever. I can't wait to send those bonus checks to recognize the team for business they brought in because they were awesome.
What's next?
I am still working through that, but one thing is for certain, I am looking for ways to be absent more so that the team can shine. For now, that may mean me attending less meetings and being available instead to plan and debrief. Doing less project planning for a client that is being supported by other consultants. And of course, I'm looking for ways to get out of town, so I can go on living my own stoked life. On the horizon…my husband and I are heading to Whistler in September, for the 29029 Everesting challenge. It will definitely be another opportunity to be completely disconnected. It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.