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ans Serif">Let's imagine a scenario where your business is doing just fine, everyone's pretty happy, but you just can't see yourself doing it forever. Some day you'd like to quit; take a break. Perhaps not immediately, but some day.

ans Serif">The thing is some day needs to be planned or it just won't come. Here, are  the Top 5 steps to making it a reality.

ans Serif" color="#008000">Step One: Get clear on what you truly bring to the business
ans Serif">To do this effectively you're going to need to put your ego to one side. This will be good practice because if you're seriously going to pursue this path it's likely to pop up from time to time.

ans Serif">To clarify your contribution to the business you need to concentrate more on the present and the future, not concern yourself too much with the past.

ans Serif">A good exercise is to ask clients, acquaintances & staff to candidly share their observations. Remember it's YOU we're interested in, not your business offerings. Alongside their responses draft you own list and group your skills under relevant headings, such as:

• ans Serif">Business Management
• ans Serif">Business Development
• ans Serif">Administration
• ans Serif">Marketing
• ans Serif">People Management
• ans Serif">Financial Control

ans Serif">Now go back through the list looking closely for the ones where you simply cannot imagine anyone but you doing it.

ans Serif">Your first big challenge: Imagine someone other than you doing it because if you don't this may be as far you go!

ans Serif" color="#008000">Step Two: Delegate and automate
ans Serif">The next stage is to slowly remove yourself from certain tasks. This can be like taking a toy from a child - plenty of screaming, lots of clutching. Be brave. Delegation is an art and not everyone is good at it; in fact most people are very bad at it. A good method is to share your concerns with others, let them know it's potentially painful, ask for their patience.

ans Serif">The thing with delegating is to remember that it's definitely not 'abrogating responsibility'. With delegation you can still retain responsibility you're just enlisting the support of others.

ans Serif">If you're anxious, factor in plenty of reporting. You miss your toys less if someone keeps coming back joyfully telling you what they're doing with them. Alongside delegating, look at automating and outsourcing. What procedures in your business could be automated or outsourced? The simpler you make your business, the less need there is for you to be involved.

ans Serif" color="#008000">Step Three: Get out of the way
ans Serif">Talking about delegating is one thing; proving you can do it consistently is another.

ans Serif">On again/off again delegating drives people nuts and is the classic sign of a business owner who just refuses to let go. It's often done as a reaction to a minor problem - classically where something has not been done as YOU would have done it or would have preferred it be done. In such situations it's far better to offer support, be a coach, help the other person learn (or indeed, be open to the possibility that there may well be better methods of doing things).