By: Emmy Russell, OT Intern
Let’s face it: some people know more and have better ideas than you. It’s a hard pill to swallow, but it’s true. The phrase “it takes a village” applies to business, too. It’s common for leaders to think they have to know it all to run a business. Luckily, this isn’t the case. It’s important to recognize that there are others out there more knowledgeable than you. The key is having access to them. That said, here’s why you don’t have to know everything to be successful in business:
You put unnecessary pressure on yourself.
Think about all the sides of business: operations, finance, HR, marketing, branding, web design, technology, client services—the list is endless. You expect yourself to know everything about all of these? Good luck. That’s a ton of unnecessary pressure to put on yourself. Sometimes it’s hard to set your ego aside and admit it’s impossible for you to know it all, but it serves you in the end. You may even feel a huge sense of relief when you ask for the help you need.
It stops you if you haven’t already started.
Thinking you have to know everything often stops you before you even get started. It’s commonly referred to as “analysis paralysis.” Obsessively researching, trying to gain more experience and waiting until you feel prepared enough is the number one way to make sure you never start. It’s an unnecessarily debilitating expectation to place on yourself, and it’s usually the thing that stops people from even trying.
It’s harmful to your business
If you already own a business or are in a leadership position, thinking you have to know everything—or that you already do—actually does more harm than good.
You may not want to admit it, but you get things wrong. You may alienate those around you and waste their talent. You could miss opportunities to learn and grow. And, you ignore better ways of doing things. All because you thought you needed to (or already did) know everything.
Considering the damage this line of thinking does to your business, it’s worth humbling yourself and asking for other opinions and ideas. Even if you decide in the end to go with your idea instead of theirs, at least you’ve explored other options and are making an informed decision.
There’s value in recognizing other people’s knowledge.
Some of the most successful business people admit they don’t know everything. That’s why they hire people smarter than them in a certain area to do a specific job. A good leader recognizes the value in their team and asks for their opinions, and a team who is valued by their leader feels appreciated, respected and motivated. This type of positive relationship will flourish—meaning good things for your business.
This goes for outside agencies as well. Every facet of business has its own set of unique challenges, and outsourcing a specialized team to tackle these challenges is a great option. Marketing, for example, is a complex but necessary aspect of business that many struggle with. An outside marketing agency offers expertise in market research and product promotion to develop and implement an effective strategy that helps you connect with your customer base and boost your sales.
If the people on your team don’t specialize in a certain area, that’s okay! There’s always someone who does. What’s important is not knowing everything—it’s having access to people who do and trusting those people to help!
At On Target, we admit we don’t know everything. But we do know marketing! With nearly 20 years of experience in digital marketing, we have the knowledge you seek! We want your business to thrive, and we’re here to support all your marketing needs. To get started with us, give us a call at (407) 830-4550 or fill out our contact form.
