I thought the boss was the center point of the work we do, but I was wrong.
My discovery came when our assistant left for another job opportunity.
As soon as she shared the news of her departure my business partner and I made a list of everything we thought she did and asked her to do the same on her own. Her list was twice the length of ours!
We had no idea how much of our company’s work revolved around her.
As we delved into her daily tasks and ongoing projects to develop an updated job description we realized this was an opportunity to rethink some of our strategy and processes.
My partner and I retreated and took a fresh view of our company and the way we have it structured. When we emerged, we had a new role with a different type person in mind. We reshaped the empty position as Director of Operations and formally acknowledged the crucial role we needed to fill.
The person we hired was an ideal fit.
She is an older, much more experienced person who knows how to run a business, has done it on her own, but no longer wanted the risk of owning her own company. Perhaps it was time to hire someone who could teach us!
Our company has always ventured where others do not go, but we had never taken a different type path when it came to those we hired. We always hired people who bring skills and talents, but never more experience.
We hope to give our new Director of Operations all the support she needs to succeed, but no matter what, we realized that we must walk our own talk. This means we have to be willing to take risks with ourselves the way we ask our customers to do with us – think out of the box, try something others are not doing, go for the best outcome rather than the easiest path.
Being wrong has helped get it right.
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By Jaynie Schutlz, Co-Founder, Retreat Central
Jaynie Schultz created Garrett Creek Ranch with her mother more than 20 years ago. She served as the founding Director of Sales and Marketing and is involved in many non-profit organizations and leadership development programs.
