Being tenacious and driven is different from being stubborn and controlling. Pride insists “I have to do this by myself because no one else can do it.” It lacks trust and confidence.
Strength says “I’ll do what it takes,” and that includes getting others involved. Refusing to ask for help is a sign of weakness, not strength.
The ability to be optimistic about what you can accomplish is admirable, but when you cannot do it all, refusing to ask for help is a recipe for failure.
Acting Like the Business is All Yours
When a new baby comes into a household, it affects everyone in the family. To help older siblings adjust and avoid developing resentment towards the newcomer, parents often find ways for siblings to feel important and included. By giving children specific tasks, like helping with feeding, or finding a lost “binky,” they feel involved and needed; not like an outsider.
Starting a home-based business places stress on a family similar to bringing home a new baby. Something new is taking up all of mom’s time and attention, and priorities change that affect every member in the household. Everyone is called upon to make sacrifices and adjustments to meet the demands and needs of the new “baby.”
Giving children a job to do will help them accept your new responsibilities and time constraints as a small business owner. Give your children papers to sort, labels or stamps to stick on envelopes, or have them help design your company Christmas card. Teens can research the Internet, answer phones, and if they drive, run errands.
If you do not purposely include your family, by default, they will feel excluded and threatened by your business. Spouses and children need to know that they are still number one in your life, and sometimes, that can be as simple as including them in your day-to-day business operations.
Knowing When to Call in the Troops
Every wife, mother, and women entrepreneur has her limits. There are unlimited demands on working moms and only so many hours in a day. If you have a hard time looking outside your own abilities, ask yourself why?
Being able to rally and call in the troops when needed, is the sign of being a good leader, not an indicator of failure. And, in business, being a leader counts.
To successfully grow your own business you need to solicit ideas, support, and help from other people, especially from your own family members. If you singlehandedly try to meet all the needs of both your family and your business, you succeed at only one thing: failing.
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