Clone Yourself

How many times have I heard business owners wish they could clone themselves! They believe that if they with another person like themselves they could get more done, have more time, be more profitable, etc. etc.

Trouble is, they often have the opportunity, but fail to do so. Well, not exactly clone. With proper training, procedures, and knowledge transfer, other employees can do what the owner does – many time even better. So many business owners (and other managers) believe, wrongly, that no one else can do what they can do. They often believe, wrongly, that it is not efficient to take time to pass along their information and train other people.

The sad fact is that businesses where the owners do not make the effort and take the time to develop “clones” will never grow and, in all probability, will fail. What happens if the owner gets sick? What will be the value of the business if the owner wants to sell but has not trained others to run every aspect of the business? I often ask prospective clients this question: “If you were to take a three month cruise around the world, would the business be operating as well as, or perhaps better than, it was when you left?” Invariably, the response is no.

Are you developing clones?

Will Limkemann