Experts will tell you to hire employees to take the load off so you can focus on business growth. As a business coach, I often suggest that clients onboard employees as they scale. However, a few key components must be in place before you expand your team.

Most often, small business owners skip over game-changing business-building steps because they're too occupied to put thought into them, but this lack of diligence always backfires.

Don't be that small business owner.

You decide it's time to take the plunge and hire your first (or next) employee. You think about what that person can do and how much time a new hire will free up for you. So, you whip up a job posting or spread the word through your community, and, voila, you find someone. You ask the standard interview questions, size them up, and perhaps check a reference or two, and your new employee starts on Monday. Cool!

Or, maybe not so cool. You may think the hard part is done at this point, but that's far from true. At this point, budding entrepreneurs need to learn to think like a leader rather than someone in the trenches. Now, you not only have to protect yourself from failing but also your growing team.

3 ways to set employees up to fail.

1. You don't give your new hire a steady foundation.

You may have a job description, but you don't have any training, implementation processes, or written documentation in place. Without a solid foundation, you throw your new person into the deep end without a raft. Rescuing your employee is time-consuming and frustrating; it was easier when you were solo!

Many entrepreneurs put these oversights in the category of employee empowerment and tell themselves they will not be a micro-manager. Really, this belief only serves to make the business owner feel better, but you can't hide behind it for long. Empowerment is built upon solid training and an understanding of the company's signature goals and direction. Your employee may attempt to do things right, but without consistent guidance and processes in place, they will struggle and most likely fail to meet your needs. There's a big difference between micro-managing and providing your team with education, support, and training.

2. You're unclear about your small business's growth vision.

Entrepreneurs have plenty of ideas for future growth and expansion. The problem appears when all these ideas merge murkily, causing a lack of clarity, confusion, and overwhelm . These murky waters lead to a team that also lacks clarity and feels overwhelmed and confused by your inconsistent leadership and direction. You may hire for the wrong positions and skill sets, leaving you with one or more team members who may be decent employees but cannot grow your small business with you. They just won't be a good fit for your ultimate vision.

3. You have not designed your company culture.

You have yet to think about what you want your company culture to look like or what values will guide you to that goal. Understanding your company and personal values to design an internal and client-facing culture gives you a roadmap for everything you do, including who and why you hire. For instance, if you hold a value that indicates honesty, integrity, or trustworthiness and hire a salesperson who promises anything to get the sale, you will have very unhappy customers. This person will also cause conflict with other team members who do represent your culture of integrity.

You don't know what you don't know about growing your small business.

Leadership development is a new stage of growth for most small business owners, and this process has many layers. While it may not seem apparent, your leadership abilities need to kick in before you hire employees, not after. It is difficult for most people to figure out how to

1. Make the time to develop processes, identify culture goals, and develop a vision
2. Get your ideas out of your head and into play
3. Gain clarity about the what, how, and why
4. Implement your ideas
5. Just about everything else!

This educational piece of professional and self-growth is why business coaches and mentors exist. No, you don't know what you don't know, and you're not meant to do it alone. Surround yourself with a supportive team of non-employees before you become an employer, and you will save yourself much disappointment, money, and time!

Are you interested in growing your business to add more freedom, security, and well-being into your life? Please contact me to see if I can help. Let’s chat and learn more about one another!

The post 3 Ways Small Business Owners Set New Employees Up to Fail appeared first on Marla Tabaka.

My clients achieve their goals, but for some, the reality of growing their small business is much different than they imagined. Here's the startling truth. There are several points within the process where you may question your decision to scale. You might even feel an overwhelming need to dial it back or give up. I often help my clients through these stages, and, fortunately, nearly all of them plow through until they feel good about their choices again.

To lessen or avoid the negative emotional impact of scaling your small business, here are a few questions to ask yourself as you create your plan.

1. What do I need to do now to reduce my stress later?

When small business owners are knee-deep in problems, the idea of becoming a true leader who works on the vision instead of the day-to-day operations sounds exciting and fulfilling. Still, you'd be surprised by how often entrepreneurs miss the simplicity of being the business when they initiate a growth model. Some wish they'd never hired employees and taken on more business because it now feels even more overwhelming than when they did it alone. This negative experience of expansion usually comes from poor planning and a skewed vision of the path to success.

It's wise to initiate your progression in phases and have a plan in which your function is clearly and realistically outlined for each process stage. It's also wise to accept that sometimes you'll take two steps forward and one step back. Growth is not a linear process.

To minimize the growth pains, consider these points:

• Avoid making personal or professional travel plans within six months of bringing on new employees. Training takes time. In fact, you're likely to feel more overwhelmed by all the training than you did before hiring help. Don't expect your new people to run the business in your absence until they can perform the job skillfully.
• You'll probably need new business to support payroll but be cautious about how much you add to the workload for at least a few months. Even if your new person or people have the skills to do the job, not all skills translate seamlessly from company to company. They still need plenty of your attention. Don't spread yourself too thin, or you'll resent your choice to build a team.
• Outsource work that doesn't need to be done internally, like bookkeeping, payroll, and freelance labor. Do this before you hire anyone else so you're not bogged down by managing more than one transition at a time.
• If you are offloading tasks to your new hire, begin documenting the steps in writing or doing videos before hiring anyone. Loom.com is an excellent resource for making your training videos. You will still need to provide additional training, but your new person will have documentation to check their work.

2. Am I a great communicator who listens, demonstrates patience, and understands the varying needs of different personality types?

Sometimes entrepreneurs make terrible bosses. There, I said it! If you are a creative, innovative visionary, you'll probably be the worst kind of boss. You don't like boots-on-the-ground activities like hiring, training, and building expansive systems to support your growth. One of the new leaders' most damaging mistakes is neglecting detailed, frequent, and thoughtful communication with their teams.

Never assume that any process is “just common sense” because the knowledge you possess is uncommon. There was a time when you only communicated with clients; now, you'll have more communication points, which creates a greater likelihood of error. Employing others will offer you every opportunity to learn patience and expertly communicate, but you may need a hand.

Hire a business coach who can help you grow your emotional intelligence and communication skills, learn patience, and create realistic expectations of yourself and others.

3. Do I have a skewed perspective on life balance?

A conversation with Jack Canfield offered insight about wealthy entrepreneurs that's useful to share with my clients with less wealth. Despite his success and wealth, the Chicken Soup for the Soul co-author still works fourteen-hour days for days and weeks on end. He said that when he's working on a new book or another big project, he locks himself away in his library and has very little contact with others. But then, when he sends that book to his publisher, he's off to Hawaii with his family for an extended vacation. Life returns to a pleasant balance until the next big project comes along.

Life balance is rarely about day-to-day perfection in your schedule. Look at balance as a whole life experience, not a daily part of your life. There will be periods when your personal life goes by the wayside, and there will be times when you experience the bliss of leaving everything behind to spend time doing the things you love outside of work.

Scaling your small business comes with its ups and its downs. Proper planning and an informed outlook will make the downs fewer and more manageable—but there's one last thing. Don't believe you have to do this alone! There are countless resources and people out there to reduce the burden and help you make the best decisions for you.

***Let's chat! We will investigate whether or not I can help you grow your small business with less stress and more success!***

The post You Want to Grow Your Small Business. 3 Tips So You Don’t Regret It appeared first on Marla Tabaka.

Experts will tell you to hire employees to take the load off so you can focus on business growth. As a business coach, I often suggest that clients onboard employees as they scale. However, a few key components must be in place before you expand your team.

Most often, small business owners skip over game-changing business-building steps because they're too occupied to put thought into them, but this lack of diligence always backfires.

Don't be that small business owner.

You decide it's time to take the plunge and hire your first (or next) employee. You think about what that person can do and how much time a new hire will free up for you. So, you whip up a job posting or spread the word through your community, and, voila, you find someone. You ask the standard interview questions, size them up, and perhaps check a reference or two, and your new employee starts on Monday. Cool!

Or, maybe not so cool. You may think the hard part is done at this point, but that's far from true. At this point, budding entrepreneurs need to learn to think like a leader rather than someone in the trenches. Now, you not only have to protect yourself from failing but also your growing team.

3 ways to set employees up to fail.

1. You don't give your new hire a steady foundation.

You may have a job description, but you don't have any training, implementation processes, or written documentation in place. Without a solid foundation, you throw your new person into the deep end without a raft. Rescuing your employee is time-consuming and frustrating; it was easier when you were solo!

Many entrepreneurs put these oversights in the category of employee empowerment and tell themselves they will not be a micro-manager. Really, this belief only serves to make the business owner feel better, but you can't hide behind it for long. Empowerment is built upon solid training and an understanding of the company's signature goals and direction. Your employee may attempt to do things right, but without consistent guidance and processes in place, they will struggle and most likely fail to meet your needs. There's a big difference between micro-managing and providing your team with education, support, and training.

2. You're unclear about your small business's growth vision.

Entrepreneurs have plenty of ideas for future growth and expansion. The problem appears when all these ideas merge murkily, causing a lack of clarity, confusion, and overwhelm . These murky waters lead to a team that also lacks clarity and feels overwhelmed and confused by your inconsistent leadership and direction. You may hire for the wrong positions and skill sets, leaving you with one or more team members who may be decent employees but cannot grow your small business with you. They just won't be a good fit for your ultimate vision.

3. You have not designed your company culture.

You have yet to think about what you want your company culture to look like or what values will guide you to that goal. Understanding your company and personal values to design an internal and client-facing culture gives you a roadmap for everything you do, including who and why you hire. For instance, if you hold a value that indicates honesty, integrity, or trustworthiness and hire a salesperson who promises anything to get the sale, you will have very unhappy customers. This person will also cause conflict with other team members who do represent your culture of integrity.

You don't know what you don't know about growing your small business.

Leadership development is a new stage of growth for most small business owners, and this process has many layers. While it may not seem apparent, your leadership abilities need to kick in before you hire employees, not after. It is difficult for most people to figure out how to

1. Make the time to develop processes, identify culture goals, and develop a vision
2. Get your ideas out of your head and into play
3. Gain clarity about the what, how, and why
4. Implement your ideas
5. Just about everything else!

This educational piece of professional and self-growth is why business coaches and mentors exist. No, you don't know what you don't know, and you're not meant to do it alone. Surround yourself with a supportive team of non-employees before you become an employer, and you will save yourself much disappointment, money, and time!

Are you interested in growing your business to add more freedom, security, and well-being into your life? Please contact me to see if I can help. Let’s chat and learn more about one another!

The post 3 Ways Small Business Owners Set New Employees Up to Fail appeared first on Marla Tabaka.

You Don't Need a Business Coach – Bullshift!

Oh, if I could count the times a thriving client has told me how hard it is to talk a fellow business owner into contacting another business coach or me. Even after hearing that my client grew her business from low six figures to a multi-million-dollar business while engaged in coaching. It makes me sad because many more entrepreneurs would succeed if only they had a good coach or mentor at their side. Entrepreneurship is lonely!

After leaving the stage at a speaking event a few years ago, an audience member came up to me and said, “Y-D-K-W-Y-D-K, brilliant!”

Huh?

“Those six words will change my life,” she said.

I still needed to figure out what she was talking about. Finally, she said I had used the term, “You don't know what you don't know,” and that it had never dawned on her. There is so much she doesn't know, and she is critical of herself because of it. But of course, she doesn't even know what she doesn't know, but it's natural, and it's ok–there is an answer! So, she created the acronym as a reminder.

You can only get the answers if you know the questions to ask. How could this entrepreneur learn to become a leader and grow sales if she's never done it before? How could she learn to balance her life as an entrepreneur, mom, wife, friend, and daughter if she's never run a multiple six or seven-figure business before? How could she get out of her own way to realize there's another way to find the answers? She didn't have to know it all; how could she?

You don't know what you don't know–but your coach can teach you.

If you're like this audience member, who by the way became a successful client, and you've never scaled a company to this level before, there are countless things you don't know and wouldn't ever give a second thought to unless someone brought them into your purview. The in-depth, ongoing process of building a full-blown, thriving culture might be a good example. In coaching, you'll learn about things you've never even known to consider, and you'll have the support to step into a whole new world.

Growing entrepreneurs are challenged by things like:

• Clarity and creating a long-term vision, goals, and plans.
• How to manage an overwhelming workload and stress.
• Moving from the self-employed space to the leadership role.
• Understanding the difference between culture and brand identity and how to develop both.
• Hiring for culture fit, not only skill.
• Finding the financial means to hire staff.
• How to handle difficult conversations.
• The nuts and bolts behind converting your team from 1099 status to full-time employees.
• When to hire an accountant, a lawyer, or other outside professional.
• How to balance their life and personal needs with the demands of a growing business.
• How to remove themselves from everyday operations.
• Creating fee structures and policies, both internal and customer-facing.
• How to manage guilt, low self-confidence, fear, and other common emotions.

This list is just the tip of the iceberg; every business owner is different in terms of personality, business experience, vision, and baggage from past experiences. There is magic in a good coach/client relationship. The simple act of externalizing your problems and ideas with someone who's experienced, who gets it, and who is a good listener makes the whole endeavor worthwhile.

Still not convinced? Take a moment to read one of my past articles, Should I Hire a Business Coach? 3 Signs That You're Ready. And remember this: A coach with integrity will not accept a client they don't believe they can help, including recouping the cost of coaching (in most cases). A conversation usually costs nothing, so it can't hurt. I'd love to hear from you, but mostly I would love for you to explore the idea—with me and/or other coaches. You deserve it!

The post You Don’t Need a Business Coach – Bullshift! appeared first on Marla Tabaka.

When original employees don’t adjust well to culture change, tough decisions lie ahead!

You hired Sally 5 years ago, and she's been your righthand person, confidant, and friend. You are Sally were the company culture. As you grow, you'll introduce automation and new team members and identify and document the processes and procedures for a stable growth strategy. Suddenly, you're not sitting elbow to elbow with Sally anymore. Other team members may be more experienced and qualified to contribute in ways that Sally only wishes she could. She may feel threatened and displaced, even angry.

I've seen business owners hold on to original team members to the point of the employee becoming a detriment to the company. Even though you've provided additional training and have had multiple reassuring discussions, some employees can't tolerate that they are no longer your one and only. Sadly, they may need to move on. Still, the thought of this difficult conversation leaves entrepreneurs with a great deal of guilt and worry about this now underperforming employee's future outside the company.

How to determine if a long-time employee is no longer a culture fit.

You'll usually see developing resistance and something resembling a temper tantrum or the cold shoulder treatment. I've seen original team members employ emotional manipulation to sabotage a growing culture and the newcomers contributing to it. This behavior comes from a place of fear and insecurity, which frankly might be warranted. Sally may have been your right-hand person, but now there's a good chance the company's needs have outgrown her skillset. Some may consider her ways “old school” at this point.

In my experience, most business owners do an excellent job of redefining this person's role, but the employee may need more than that. They no longer feel as important, capable, and significant to your success. Soon, you and your devoted employee are miserable, which takes a toll on you and your newer employees.

Unhappy employees are often unwilling to adapt their style or grow their skillset.

The employee stuck in the old way of thinking is performing tasks using outdated technology. When asked to upgrade their skills to adapt to new technology, they may rebel, saying their way has always worked just fine, so why fix it if it isn't broken?

Employees who feel left out and threatened may treat the newcomers rudely and attempt to sabotage their success. This behavior comes from a desire to prove their worth; to you, but also themselves.

You may feel that this employee has become suddenly needy. The truth is they miss being your confidant and spending hours a day with you. They may feel like a lackey as their duties are siphoned off and given to someone more qualified to meet your growing needs.

Is it time to say goodbye?

In my experience as a business coach, it takes time for long-time employees who are stuck in their old-school ways to adapt to the changes brought about by company growth. It also takes a lot of patience and commitment from the founder.

Before you dismiss a once loyal employee who was critical to your success–and probably your sanity–make every attempt to include them in your developing culture and growth plan. Think about their qualities, what they love doing, and the areas where they thrive. Is there a place in the company where his or her skills, personality, and positive traits would be valued?

Could you allow this employee to be a part of the big-picture discussions? While you may now consider their skills outdated, the fact that they know you well and understand your idiosyncrasies (yes, we all have them) is valuable. Get creative, avoid typecasting, and discuss exciting options with your employee. Mostly though, give them time.

Then, if all else fails, the final ultimatum is presented: Find a home in this company or find what you deserve; a workplace that makes you happy.

There is one thing I can say for sure: If an original employee becomes miserable due to your growth strategy, they are as distraught about it as you are. If they are unbending, the healthiest, happiest opportunity for both of you is kindly letting them go their own way. I witness this frequently, and most of the time, both parties end up happy.

The post Culture Changes Might Mean Saying Goodbye to Original Employees appeared first on Marla Tabaka.

If you're familiar with the “head slap” made famous by NCIS character Leroy Jethro Gibbs, you know that this non-injurious action is usually meant as a reminder when a team member violates one of the Gibbs rules. Gibbs's rules originated from his first wife, Shannon Gibbs when she told him at their first meeting that “Everyone needs a code they can live by.”

I have my own rules as well. I call them the Tabaka No-Fail Rules for Leadership Excellence. The Rules are born out of my personal and professional growth experiences and that of my clients. So much of the angst (and failure) that leaders experience is due to poor choices and a lack of clarity around values and vision. Much of their loss and regret could be prevented if business owners would carve out the time to identify their values, vision, and company culture.

So here, my friends, are my Rules. Live and lead by them, and the successful, influential trailblazer in you will take you far in life and business.

1. Take responsibility; never, ever place blame elsewhere.
2. If you want to control your future, let go of the control.
3. Learn to be a strong communicator. No, this does not mean sending a lot of text messages.
4. Listen, don't judge.
5. Don't make excuses; when it comes to being a respectable leader, there are none.
6. Never forget that your team, not your product, not your bank account, is your number-one asset.
7. Give your team the tools and freedom to be extraordinary. There is no better investment.
8. If you promise to do something, do it–and do it well.
9. Let your ego know that it's really smart to surround yourself with people who know more than you do.
10. To work with a coach or mentor is a sign of a successful mindset, not a weakness.
11. Consciously build an intentional culture and powerful company culture. Otherwise, it will build itself…and you will not like the results!
12. If you consistently work through the night, you're doing something wrong.
13. Employee meetings are not a disruption, waste of time, or inconvenience. If you feel that way, it only means you don’t know how to run them.
14. Never enter into a 50-50 partnership.
15. Do not launch a product without doing market research that goes well beyond family and friends.
16. Before you even think about stepping into a leadership role, define and understand your values. Otherwise, you have no road map to lead yourself or others to success.
17. You are only as successful as you believe you are. Mindset is everything.
18. Don't think your idea is excellent because you believe in it and have worked hard for it. It's only great if your customers believe in it too.
19. Honesty is a code to live by; choose your words carefully.
20. If you think it's time to quit, it probably is.
21. Make friends with your numbers, even if you don't like them very much.
22. Don't jump into a partnership because you're excited. Partner because you have a great idea, the combined skills to make it happen, and a viable plan in place. Then see a business lawyer.
23. Always stay in check on social media. Yes, even on your personal accounts.
24. Don't take advice from people who haven't been there, done it, and succeeded.
25. Only borrow money from friends and family who are willing to lose every penny of it and not hold it against you.
26. Build your personal brand even if you think you don't matter to your customers–because you do.
27. Don't wear your overwhelming schedule as a badge of honor. Be proud when you can get everything done and have plenty of time to enjoy life.
28. It's only a failure if you beat yourself up for it instead of learning from it.
29. You have to believe in yourself before anyone else will.
30. It's alright to have self-doubt. It's not alright to let it consume you.
31. Experiencing fear is natural and normal. Allowing it to keep you from your dreams is just sad.
32. Don't make the mistake of believing you can be a full-time parent and achieve your business success on the timeline of a single person.
33. Stop saying there's never enough time; there is if you stop doing the things that a real entrepreneur doesn't do.
34. Know your strengths, and don't dwell on your weaknesses. Just hire someone to fill in the gaps.
35. If you believe you can't afford to do something to the betterment of your business, then you can't—and never will.
36. When stress is getting the best of you, focus on helping someone else.
37. The customer may always be right, but they are not your ideal customer if they cost you more than they pay you.
38. There is nothing in the world worth missing your kid's birthday for.
39. Only make friends with your employees if you can put on the boss hat and not feel guilty or uncomfortable in it.
40. If you can't trust your employees, it's for one of two reasons: You are too controlling or don't know how to hire right.
41. Ask interview questions that will tell you if your candidate is a good culture fit. Most skills can be taught. Personality, not so much.
42. Take care of you first and you'll have the energy and clear-headedness to take good care of your company.
43. Meditation isn't just for hippies anymore.
44. Never forget the healing power of laughter.
45. If you hold on to poor performers, you are the one who needs improvement.
46. Don't exhaust yourself grabbing at nickels and dimes. Know where the real profit comes from.
47. Always give back.
48. If you're in it just for the money, you'll never know true success.
49. Without a vision, you can't get there. But remember, your vision matures as you do.
50. Angel investors aren't really angels.
51. Don't shut off your emotions. They aren't in the way; they are there to help pave the way.

The post 51 Rules for Leadership Excellence appeared first on Marla Tabaka.

People often confuse high-achieving behavior with perfectionistic behavior. High achievers are dedicated, determined individuals with a strong desire to accomplish something important to them. Their achievements are not about what others will think of them or a fear of failure; it's to gain personal gratification from their success. On the other hand, people who deem themselves perfectionists are not driven by the pursuit of perfection; the avoidance of failure drives them.rue perfectionists aren't trying to be perfect; they are avoiding not being good enough. This avoidance dictates much of their behavior, and it's linked to depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and even suicide. Paul Hewitt, Ph.D., and psychologist Gordon Flett are two of the most respected researchers of perfectionistic behavior. They say that those who feel social pressure to achieve perfection tend to think that the better they do, the better they are expected to do. And so, the search for absolute perfection never ends.

Are you a high achiever or a perfectionist? Here are seven signs that your pursuit of perfection may put you at risk of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and, in extreme cases, suicidal thinking.

1. Despite your search for perfection, you never feel perfect.

Dr. Hewitt uses this example of a college student who is also one of his patients and how the student viewed his success. The student was convinced he needed an A+ in a particular course, so he studied hard and aced the class. However, the student became even more depressed and suicidal than he was prior to the end of the semester. “He told me that the A+ was just a demonstration of how much of a failure he was,” says Hewitt. The student argued that if he were perfect, he wouldn't have had to work so hard to get an A+.

2. As a perfectionist, you cannot accept and celebrate your success.

It's never good enough, so you get sucked so far into the details that you become frustrated–even angry. Even when your goal is complete and results in success, you believe you could and should have done it better.

Perfectionists don't acknowledge their wins to the extent of feeling the joy and satisfaction of a job well done. Instead, they find flaws in how they (or others) executed the project. There is always something wrong, even though the outcome is exactly what they wanted.

3. You don't allow yourself any mistakes.

While an individual with a healthy mindset allows for mistakes, an extreme perfectionist doesn't forgive their mistakes. Instead of viewing them as a learning opportunity, you criticize and put pressure on yourself for not predicting a less-than-perfect outcome. You feel inadequate, even stupid, and these feelings preoccupy your mind, often to the point of losing all productivity.

4. You put up a front, insisting everything is perfect.

Perfectionists are intensely afraid of being judged by others. They often want the outside world to view them as being perfect and making perfection easy. Even when your world is a disaster zone, you put up a front to lead others to think it's all just perfect.

5. You avoid taking on challenges that may cause you to fail.

Perfectionists like to stick with what they know. If you're presented with an opportunity that means you'll have to develop more skills or move outside of your comfort zone, you're likely to turn it down. You're afraid you're not smart enough to tackle a new learning curve and will be seen as a failure or let down someone.

6. You believe that your likeability is linked to being perfect.

Personality and positive qualities like honesty, compassion, humor, etc., aren't what perfectionists believe people will like about them. It's not enough to be a wonderful person; you must be perfectly wonderful. You don't allow others to see your flaws, and you most likely talk about your achievements but never your failures.

7. Your life doesn't satisfy you.

Perfectionists cope well in a low-stress environment–so as long as nothing challenges you, you're fine. When was the last time you weren't challenged by life? Right, because nothing is perfect. When life seems unsettled to you, it presents a problem. Anxiety often increases, which offers the illusion that nothing is going well, thereby decreasing life satisfaction.

8. You need help with getting things done on time.

Since perfection is an illusion, the pursuit of perfection is never complete, and neither are your projects. You may get things done, but you constantly battle the decisions and motivation to complete certain things. The “what ifs” and expectation of a negative consequence or result preoccupies you, and the pressure can be overwhelming.

Can you overcome the seemingly never-ending pursuit of perfection?

There's nothing we can't overcome if we put our minds to it. Pay attention to these situations if you occasionally insist on perfection, but it causes excessive stress. I suggest journaling about them to find the shared link. The awareness alone will help you get to the core and figure out what it's all about. Observe how others accept themselves, flaws and all, and assign yourself a few virtual mentors to follow. Learning how successful people built upon their failures instead of hiding from them will help get things into perspective.

Hewitt and Flett say that perfectionism is a risk factor for psychological disorders–not a disorder itself. If it leads to depression, anxiety, or other exhausting mental states, therapy can help. Yes, you can develop a healthy mindset and make life much easier and more rewarding for yourself.

The post 8 Signs You’re a Perfectionist (and Why It’s Toxic to Your Mental Health) appeared first on Marla Tabaka.

You launched your company, how long ago now? And you've spent much of that time doing whatever it takes to grow the customer list, sell, and deliver. But lately, you've realized you're not getting beyond the point of making just enough money to survive if you're lucky. The good news is that if you're making just enough, there's probably a market for what you do. The bad news is that if you continue to mop the floors, you won't grow much—as a leader or a company.

This realization is one reason that drives many business owners to seek me out as a life and business coach. Odds are, you're a natural-born leader, but that doesn't mean there's not a lot to learn. It's one thing to operate your company and quite another to take it to the next level with solid leadership skills. Let's look at some of the common stumbling blocks I encounter with the founders who are ready for a change but aren't making it happen.

Business owners who are stuck believe they can't afford to hire.

I always say, “If you believe it, it's true!” I have yet to coach someone who couldn't afford a new hire. That's because, together in coaching, we quickly identify creative ways to secure the ongoing funds for a new hire.

You create a game plan when you work with a business coach. You'll have a growth strategy, and when you bite the bullet and hire someone to do the work that takes up much of your time, you'll be free to bring in new business. However, if you transfer your time from one mundane task to another, you'll fail. You must have a plan to increase the company's profits before outsourcing or making a hiring decision. Sometimes the answer lies as close to your existing client list, a company or individual willing to increase their spending. Don't hesitate to go after this low-hanging fruit; all they can do is say yes or no.

Get an employee training process in place.

Before you delegate anything, have a training process in place. If the work that keeps you from growing your business is computer-related, record your screen as you go through each step of every process. Find a way to easily document the work you do and use this documentation in your training. Your new employee can do the work to make it pretty, so don't worry about how it looks.

Be courageous about delegation.

Your new people are more likely to do things differently than you and less likely to do it all wrong, which is what most entrepreneurs fear. Different isn't bad if it gets the same or better results. If they make mistakes, correct them. Yes, it is that easy. Time-consuming? Sometimes, but in the long run, not so much. This mental adjustment is one of the most challenging for entrepreneurs. I hear it all the time, “By the time I teach someone else to do this, I could have done it myself.” Oh sure, that's true, but how often do you want to repeat tasks that don't grow your business? Bite the bullet, do some excellent training, and let these jobs go.

Leadership means building a team you can trust.

Whether you hire one or multiple people to help you grow, they must be the right people. It's one thing to outsource small tasks or hire a bookkeeping service, but you must select your team members carefully.

The biggest problem with new business coaching clients who already have people on board is that the founder hasn't developed a desirable culture before onboarding. We'll get into some of the nuts and bolts of this in the culture development article two weeks down the road, but for now, suffice it to say that you need to hire people whose values coincide with your own.

If, for instance, you want an organization where people feel fulfillment in their work, but you hire someone who wants to punch the clock for the paycheck, neither of you will be happy. Work with your business coach to identify the core values to introduce into your company culture and create an interviewing process that explores the values of your applicants. When your people possess values that identify closely with your own, you will build mutual trust and respect.

Great leaders mentor their employees.

Some entrepreneurs have strong opinions in opposition to mentoring employees, to the point where they call it babysitting, which they claim they don't have time for. I assure you that mentoring your employees will substantially increase retention and job satisfaction. Solid mentorship opportunities will attract high-potential job candidates eager to learn and advance. As you lead and mentor your employees, you will notice that sales growth and other goals are achieved faster. And lastly, things will be done right, which brings us full circle to why you probably don't want to delegate in the first place—a fear of things not being done correctly. Teaching and guiding your employees is the only way to guarantee your desired results.

Set mutually agreed-upon goals for your employee(s), and don't let those targets linger in the ether. Do brief weekly and longer monthly meetings with your team members to review and guide them. This time will come back to you tenfold.

Hire slow, fire fast.

Hire slow. Have a process that will help you locate, interview, and onboard individuals who will contribute talent, skill, and positivity to your culture. If hiring for a critical position, take your top candidates to dinner or another activity. Invite their significant other, even their kids. Talk about hobbies and interests outside of work. Make sure your values are aligned.

Fire fast. Again, do what it takes to train, support properly, and mentor your employees. When they make mistakes, review them honestly and restate your expectations. If costly mistakes continue, it's time to let go.

One bad apple can spoil the whole team. It's not easy to let go of an underperformer or someone with a negative attitude, but these characteristics are toxic and contagious. Whether it's due to attitude or poor performance, don't be afraid to fire someone. I've seen entrepreneurs hold on to a poor fit out of fear, which never bodes well for the company.

Are you afraid that you'll get stuck doing the work? That you won't be able to find a replacement? Perhaps it's simply conflict avoidance on your part. If that's the case, know this: If you have an employee who is a poor culture fit and an underperformer, it inevitably means they too are unhappy. Everyone will find happiness on the other side of their walking papers.

Practice what you preach.

As you grow your culture (more on this later in this series), you will identify values that the company and your team live by. Let's say you have a value such as flexibility, which might mean your team can work with some flexibility and your company is flexible in resolving your clients' issues. Now let's say that you are inflexible and narrow-minded; your team and clients will become frustrated and eventually leave.

A little bit of tough love here. If you experience resistance, poor attitude, and unsatisfactory performance in a team member you've carefully selected, look in the mirror first. Most often, the leader fails, not the employee who was once the perfect fit for the job. Have you been embodying your own company culture? Have you been living up to your standards, keeping your promises, and demonstrating positive values to your team and customers?

Be a decision-maker and take inspired action.

Creative and driven employees and expectant customers want to see your products and services evolve. Too many entrepreneurs have let great plans and ideas stagnate and die. I suggest a quarterly off-site, whether it's with employees, your coach, or just you, to review growth goals and any changes that will lead to better efficiencies and an improved work environment.

There are times when circumstances prevent business owners from achieving specific goals, but most often, procrastination and fear-related issues stop us in our tracks. If you are indecisive or don't have your priorities in order, your behavior will be reflected in your team's performance.

Leaders have an appreciation for learning. Build time into your schedule to read, listen to podcasts, work with a coach, and travel to conferences. Primarily, be open to feedback and embrace change. I've never worked with an entrepreneur who does these things and still fails.

The post How Solid Are Your Leadership Skills? Review Your Leadership Mindset appeared first on Marla Tabaka.

Is there such a thing as a natural-born leader? Can leadership be taught? The answer is yes to both of those questions, but even a natural-born leader has much to learn. Your business coach is an excellent place to turn.

As a life and business coach, I work primarily (but not exclusively) with entrepreneurs positioned to grow their companies from six to seven-figure businesses, but it’s just not happening. I find my work to be gratifying and sometimes quite exciting! When a small business owner suffers and struggles, they aren’t living the life they deserve and crave. When the entrepreneur enters a successful business coaching relationship, that life reveals itself; it’s fascinating to witness how things change as their world evolves.

What many candidates for business coaching aren't prepared for is the personal and leadership growth that comes with business growth. Many of the beliefs and practices that worked well when it was just you and perhaps a couple of part-time employees won’t contribute to the future growth of your company.

There are new challenges at every bend in the leadership journey, which most often lead to enriching growth experiences. Below are some initial growing pains I commonly see in entrepreneurs seeking to build their companies into the beautiful vision that was once a dream.

Over the next few weeks, I will explore each of these issues at a deeper level. I’ll offer you my best business coach advice to equip and inspire you to grow your business to the next level. For now, here’s an overview.

1. The founder struggles to grow from employee to leader.

It’s all on you. You’ve rolled up your sleeves and done everything from answering the phones to delivering your product and services. But how can you expand your marketing, attend conferences, develop new products or services, and implement growth strategies if you’re busy doing things that are, frankly, not the job of a CEO?

It’s time to build a team and one that you can learn to trust. As you may know, trust can be a big issue for entrepreneurs, and understandably so. You’ve nurtured your “baby” all on your own, and now you’re dissecting it to share the responsibilities with others who may do things differently. They may even screw it up totally! This stage is where you’ll benefit from knowing that, at the employee level, there are very few mistakes from which your company won’t recover. Delegate and train accordingly. Only then will you have the freedom to step into the shoes of a true leader.

In the upcoming series, I’ll touch on the growing pains involved in becoming a leader to new employees and employees who “knew you when.”

2. New leaders need help to determine when and where to invest.

Money is still tight at this stage, so a misstep can be devastating. Do you hire employees, get a larger space, invest in software and equipment, or spend real money on marketing? There is a delicate balance among the choices since you must have the revenue stream to support ongoing expenditures (like payroll or rent), and there is no guarantee of that happening. This decision process involves careful planning, projections, and a leap of faith.

Entrepreneurs at this stage often believe they don’t have the money to scale. If you believe that, well then, it’s true! It’s not difficult to “find” the money to hire a contractor or two, or even an employee when the time is right. Without this support, you’ll most likely remain precisely where you are. A support team is typically the first place you’ll spend your dollars. We’ll look at that closely when I expand on this thought.

3. New leaders usually botch their company culture.

I always say,

“If you don’t build an intentional culture, it will build itself–and you will not like the results!”

One sign that you have allowed your culture to fall through the cracks is when you find yourself surrounded by customers and employees who aren’t on the same page as you are. This unhealthy environment creates stress and wreaks havoc on your business and well-being. If your stress is through the roof, it’s doubtful that an intentional culture is intact.

Honestly, most clients who begin working with me don’t even understand what culture is all about. This is one of the most exciting pieces to helping entrepreneurs achieve their long-term goals. We get to uncover your most treasured values and create the foundation upon which each building block of your business will sit. My clients learn things about themselves they’ve never realized, and the company grows to reflect its founder in the most meaningful ways.

I’ve got some great culture-building strategies and insights for you – coming soon!

4. Employees don’t always adjust well to change – tough decisions lie ahead!

This one ties into the whole culture topic for companies that already have employees onboard when they begin working with their business coach. One of the growing pains we often encounter in the coaching process is the realization that long-time employees are resistant to change and may no longer be a good fit for the organization. Ouch! You know their families—they may even be people you consider friends. In some cases, they are family!

Employees who “knew you when” often don’t adapt well when you become less hands-on. They may be more accustomed to having a say or being a part of your decision-making process. It’s not that your employees become less critical; it’s that your inner entrepreneur will surface as you grow your business (especially with a good coach at your side), and you’ll make decisions that your team doesn’t agree with or understand. Roles and responsibilities change, and we all know how difficult change is for some people. Sometimes, these facts drive a wedge that is difficult to maneuver around between the founder and the employee.

And yes, sometimes all of this means the employee leaves or is let go from the company, but here’s the good news: everyone is happier in the end. I see these past employees thrive as they enter a new stage of their professional growth. And the entrepreneurs, no longer hindered by the challenges of having a nay-sayer on board, also thrive.

5. You don’t know what you don’t know–but your business coach can teach you.

This is a big one. You’ve never done this before; how can you possibly know what to do as a leader? I believe true leaders have an innate ability to lead, but still, there’s so much to learn! And budding leaders often need “permission” to make the choices because sometimes these choices contradict everything you’ve been doing up to this point. You’ve been working non-stop, and now you’re thinking about taking a week off to go to a leadership conference in another state? Unheard of! But yes, leaders need education, inspiration, encouragement, and camaraderie.

You’ve never scaled a company to this level before, so there are countless things that you don’t know and wouldn’t ever give a second thought to unless someone brought them into your purview. The in-depth, ongoing process of building a full-blown, thriving culture might be a good example. In coaching, you’ll learn about things you’ve never even known to consider, and you’ll have the support to step into a whole new world. We’ll talk about some of those things toward the end of this series.

I hope you’ll stay with me over the next few weeks as we explore these topics at a deeper level. Questions? Is there something you’d like me to address in this series? Please feel free to contact me here or send them to me at marla@marlatabaka.com.

I look forward to supporting you during this very exciting time of growth!

The post Top 5 Leadership Growing Pains Seen by This Business Coach appeared first on Marla Tabaka.

When your time belongs to something else—work, parenting, caregiving, your business—it can seem you’re trapped inside someone else’s agenda. Entrepreneurs easily fall into this cycle, sacrificing themselves and their time to long-term goals and the needs of others. If you’re not careful, the daily stress of giving yourself away diminishes any sense of self and well-being.

I recall my twenty-plus years of working in corporate: a fifteen-minute drive to the train, a forty-minute train ride into the city, then a brisk twenty-minute walk from Chicago’s Union Station to work. The commute was filled with paperwork and scheduling so I could lessen the load before a hectic 8 to 10 hours in the local news world. At last, I followed the routine of my reverse commute home to my kids for the few short hours we had together.

I loved my job, and being a mom, but what I didn’t love was the feeling of being lost inside the mechanics of every task-filled day. I rarely stilled my mind to capture the most important moments in life or to create a space that felt like mine because I belonged to everyone else. I never stopped to realize that I was lost, that there was something inside of me that felt unsatisfied—until one early morning when I missed my train, which left me with a rare twenty minutes to do nothing.

I felt nearly giddy with the anticipation of a precious few silent moments to myself. I randomly strolled across to a little coffee house where patrons cheerfully bantered with the fun-loving proprietors while waiting for their lattes and mochas. “Oh my! A cinnamon scone,” I thought. “Dare I? Oh sure, it was a special day.”

A special day? Why? It hit me then that treating myself to a few laughs with strangers, a fresh cup of coffee, and a cinnamon scone filled me with giddy anticipation of the next moment and the next. I took my warm coffee and scone to a park bench and savored them, along with the joy that filled my heart as I noticed, for the first time, the beautiful fall colors that had begun to tinge the leaves of the old oaks. “I feel like I’m on vacation,” I thought blissfully. I went to work that day with more emotional and physical energy than I’d had in a while, with a bit more spirit in my step.

That evening I journaled about my mini-vacation experience, and I found it so meaningful that it was decided, then and there, that I would “put a little vacation in every day.”

Put a little vacation in every day.

So, what does that really mean? Missing your train or a meeting, so you can sit idly in a park warming your hands on a cup of joe? What if it wasn’t that random? What if, without sacrifice, you could escape the everyday demands to capture time for yourself? To connect with yourself and your surroundings in a way that eludes you on a typical day? To stop and smell the roses, as they say.

It sounds like too little to mean a lot.

Too good to be true? You may ask, how can five or ten minutes make a difference in how I feel? What might this do for your well-being, health, and spirit?

1. Let’s look at the more practical side of this concept first. Research tells us that taking purposeful breaks (anywhere from 5–60 minutes) to refresh your brain and body increases your energy, productivity, and ability to focus. This is especially true during periods of intense concentration, like study and work projects. Short breaks will give you more time to do other things, making you more efficient and accurate.

Ok, now that that’s out of the way, let’s look at the more meaningful side of taking your little vacation breaks.

2. Purposeful mini-breaks can change the way you think. This is what I call, Bullshift™.

When we don’t have time to ourselves to just “be,” much of life’s more meaningful content gets swept under the rug. We neglect to find gratitude and appreciation for the good stuff and tend to focus on the more stressful aspects of our day-to-day life. Your mind is like your body, it becomes what you feed it. We must nourish our brains with positive thoughts, intent, and beliefs to live a happy, healthy, and fulfilled life.

When you take yourself away from the hustle for a few minutes spend that time finding the good: breathe deeply, look for something beautiful in your surroundings, notice the feel and scent of the air, savor the taste of something delicious, or observe an exchange between happy individuals. These simple actions will reinforce new neural pathways in your brain that eventually become automatic. Translation: You are teaching your brain to default to a positive attitude!

A little vacation in every day has become second nature to me, and I hope it does for you as well. Negativity is exhausting! Life is more fulfilling and hopeful when we can teach our brains to find the positive, even during difficult times. Rather than allowing daily demands to deplete you, capture something special in your day to make it yours because you deserve it!

The post How About 365 Vacations This Year? Here’s How–and Why appeared first on Marla Tabaka.