Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business

by Gino Wickman

One person can only make so many decisions and solve so many problems. You cannot build an enduring, successful organization that lives beyond you if your organization is designed to crumble the minute you step aside. Until now, you’ve probably been holding all the pieces together on your own. But once your organization reaches a certain size, you won’t be able to lead that way. If you want to grow, it’s not possible to maintain a hand in sales, service, accounting, complaints, and follow-up on a regular basis. This means that it’s time to let others take control of those areas, and that you have to decide who you want to do so. Each of your departmental heads should be better than you in his or her respective position. Of course, you will need to give them clear expectations and instill a system for effective communication and accountability. Once you have the right people in the right seats, let them run with it.