A couple months back as I rode with Lila the wind was howling from the north. It was a cross wind (which is better than a head wind) that makes riding no handed really hard. As soon as you take your hands off the bars the wind grabs the front tire and turns it sideways.
I kept trying anyway.
Lila (10) keeps wanting to try it too.
“No!”
She hasn’t yet ridden no handed on other rides.
Then we had a stretch of the trail which turned south and the wind blew at our backs. Free speed. Free stability.
“Now’s a good time to try riding no handed.”
She’s scared, but takes her hands off the bars.
Look ma, no hands!
This is kind-of what it’s like when you hand a process off to an OFS the first time.
The wind blows sideways.
It’s scary.
Things don’t go as you want them to.
“What if I crash?!?”
All these things happen.
Then you have the personal fears.
What if it’s not done how I would do it?
What if it’s done totally wrong?
What if they mess something up?
There are all kinds of things that could go wrong.
And sometimes things do go wrong. Projects don’t get done right. Work isn’t perfect and it gets published.
But when you get it right with your new OFS, it’s like riding no handed.
“Look ma! No hands!”
It’s one of the most liberating feelings. Work getting done without you having to do it.
And the next time it’s easier. And easier.
If you start by outsourcing a task that you know how to do, the whole thing is easier.
– You know what skills to look for when hiring
– You know how to fix mistakes
– You know how to train
– You know how to give feedback
– You know what to expect
– You can help them get it right
= You get time back and are then more effective at everything else.
It just works really well.
It’s a new year. The wind is blowing at your back right now. What task are you scared of letting go of? Now’s a good time to try.
OneVAAway.com will help you find the right person if you want my help.
John
https://johnjonas.com/letting-go-of-a-difficult-task-give-it-another-shot-2/
