Taken in June 2016 There is a sad reality within corporate America and I hope to do something about it, however small. I call this the Pretend Time Off syndrome. This concept says that business leaders are unable to truly unplug during the holidays and cannot devote themselves fully to our loved ones when we have the opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of our organization. It is simply not true. I've outlined five tactics you can implement to take a vacation without your team or organization collapsing in your absence. These easy steps, if followed (and it's a huge if!), will allow you to enjoy your trip and, more importantly, allow your loved ones to enjoy your trip! 1) Plan, plan, plan… Oh, and get ready It's amazing how most unforeseen issues could be resolved before you leave with a little planning and a lot of preparation. The only unifying factor is having the ability to trust your team to execute your plan.
Advertising Continue reading below fax list The problem many leaders face isn't that they can't unplug, it's that they don't fully trust their team. This issue concerns you and you need to fix it before you can perform any of the steps I'm about to discuss. If you don't entrust your work to anyone on your team, you either have to find a whole new team or help those untrustworthy team members out of yours. Meet with your leaders and discuss potential issues ahead: The best way to avoid potential pitfalls before they arise is to have a candid discussion with your team about what they might be. You'd be amazed at how many problems can be avoided if you take the time to listen to your entire team on a weekly basis. Set up a meeting with your leaders and simply ask, Do you see any potential fires happening next week?
Even unlikely events should be discussed and solutions assessed. Assign executive decision-making power to those you trust: It's tough, but it's essential to prevent your team from coming to a screeching halt while waiting for simple decisions in your absence. We are not talking about strategic make or break decisions, but about the day-to-day work of approvals and rejections. The more you trust your team to find solutions, the more they will feel valued. An added benefit is . Set your email notification with a single point of contact: do it! Let people who contact you know that you are gone and that they have someone to contact if they need help. Be sure to include in case of emergency so they know to only reach out if it's serious.