I feel like 2020 has been a year of FLEARNINGS; when you fail but end up learning something incredibly valuable in the process.

For us here in Australia, it actually started in late 2019 with the bushfire crisis. And then just as we felt we were coming out the other side of it all…. COVID. 

As individuals and as business owners, these were two huge challenges we’ve needed to face and overcome. I’ve had to learn to adapt and make so many changes over these past 12 months, and believe it or not—I’m grateful for the learning experiences I’ve had.

So here are my Top 5 Learnings I’m filing under “What I Wish I Knew”. 

1. Make policies and procedures a priority

Often in business we never get around to making the policies and procedures for things that “probably won’t happen anyway”. Oh, the irony. I certainly didn’t anticipate needing to close my dance school due to a bushfire crisis, and as for a global pandemic—not exactly high on the radar either.

But then 2020 happened, and we were forced to deal with “all the things”.

The policies and procedures we needed to develop during the bushfire crisis actually ended up being an incredible blessing for us when COVID hit, because we’d taken the time to think through how we wanted and needed to handle circumstances outside of our control. 

I’d encourage you to take some time and think back on all of the challenges you’ve faced in business over the past 12 months. How many of these could have been avoided—or at least handled more smoothly—if you had a policy or procedure in place? What else do you need in your business to cover your back? 

2. Saying YES also means you’re saying No!

Saying “Yes” can become a bit of a default as a business owner; it’s a word that sometimes just slips out when we’re trying to people please and keep things smooth. But when we say “Yes” to things that aren’t well aligned with our values and priorities, we’re doing ourselves a huge disservice. 

Have a think about what saying “Yes” really means… It usually coincides with you saying “No” to something else.

The first time this hit me was when I was tempted to rearrange a schedule to make things more convenient for a customer. I then had a business coach remind me, “By saying ‘Yes’ to that customer, you’re saying ‘No’ to your family as it means you will no longer be home on that evening. Is that okay?”. UGH. That hit hard. 

Next time you’re tempted to say a “Yes” in business, consider what you are saying “No” to as a result.

Similarly, are there things in your business you should be saying a clear “NO” to that you’ve been avoiding? 

3. Delegating means letting go

I’ve been working really hard at delegating this year, and I thought I was doing really well until I realised that delegating without letting go isn’t really delegating at all!

We all have our own zones of genius and we know our strengths, and weaknesses! Same goes for our team members. If we’ve delegated a task it’s usually because it’s not the best use of our time, energy and resources. If we then micro-manage the team member we’ve passed it off to, we’re disempowering them and frankly… being downright annoying!

It’s one thing to offer support and coach someone through a new task they’re taking on for the first time. But check your intentions when this happens. The benefits of delegating will be quickly lost if you’re not truly letting go of the task. 

4. Can you do it in person?

Avoiding face-to-face conversations became easier than ever this year because of COVID. Zoom and phone calls have dominated our everyday interactions. 

It’s true that phone calls and Zoom meetings are often about efficiency; not everything needs to be discussed in person. But the truth is, some things DO, particularly in a crisis. 

If you have a situation that lead to overwhelm, fear, concern etc for a customer, client or team member, chances are you need to resolve it face to face. Give them the opportunity to read your whole body language in context with your facial expressions. Let them see and experience the full picture they need in order to be put at ease.

Face to face is the only true way to eliminate the risk of misinterpretation, misunderstanding or miscommunication. It’s also the quickest way to rebuild trust.

We’re all busy, but some conversations are worthy of our time and physical presence. There were times this year when I should have handled things in person and couldn’t, and I think the outcome would have been different if I had. I still feel a twinge of regret.

5. Build equity in relationships

You might have heard the expression “Ask not what your community can do for you, but what you can do for your community”. 

Never has this felt more relevant than in 2020. Time and time again this year I’ve found myself and my business being uplifted by relationships from within our community that I’ve spent years building and nurturing. My investment in these relationships has always been out of passion and without agenda, so to see that investment come back at me armed with support and encouragement was life giving. 

Wherever you can find the time to be able to share your expertise, time, passion, energy or money with the people around you—do so. You never know when that equity is going to be cashed in.