The Power of Competency: Leading Your Business Like a Pro

In a recent podcast, I talked about the 5 steps to learning something new and becoming competent in it. Today, I want to take that idea even further and dive into how competency can directly improve the way you run your business.

First off, let’s break down what competency really means. According to Merriam Webster, being competent means:

• Having the necessary ability or skills
• Being able to do something well enough to meet a standard.

In business, competence doesn’t mean you have to become a master. It means being good enough to get things done. When you're a business owner, waiting to master something before taking action can leave you stuck. As a leader, your focus should be on learning enough to lead, not necessarily on becoming the best at every single skill.

Take a moment and think about your current business. How often do you find yourself bogged down in tasks that others could handle? Maybe it’s dealing with client queries, handling tech issues, or even keeping the books in order. The truth is, you don’t have to be the one doing it all.

I’ve learned this lesson the hard way. Early in my entrepreneurial journey, I tried to do everything myself. As I scaled my business, I realized that being competent didn’t mean I had to know how to do everything—it meant knowing who could do it. That’s where the "Who Not How" concept comes in.

Let me share an example from my own experience. When I started my consulting business, I thought I had to master everything, from marketing to accounting to project management. But as I grew, I quickly realized I was spending too much time on tasks outside my zone of genius. I needed to focus on leadership and strategy, not the minute details that were eating up my time.

So, I turned to experts. I hired contractors who were specialists in areas I wasn’t. For instance, I brought in a Virtual CFO to handle finances and a skilled project manager to oversee day-to-day operations. They brought the expertise I lacked and helped my business run more smoothly.

Let’s take this a step further. Think about your own business. Are you the one handling everything, or are you empowering others to handle key tasks? Being competent means you know what you're good at and where to lean on others.

This is especially important when scaling your business. As you grow, your time becomes even more valuable. You need to spend it on what will move the business forward—vision, strategy, and leadership—not on the grind of day-to-day operations.

It’s about building a team of experts around you—those who can handle tasks you don’t need to learn in depth. For example, I don’t need to be a tax expert to run my business, but I know how to find the right accountant who keeps everything in line. I don’t need to be a master marketer, but I know how to work with a specialist who can ensure my message gets to the right people.

Here’s the bottom line: Competency in business is not about mastering everything. It’s about understanding where your skills and expertise lie and knowing who can take care of the rest. By adopting the "Who Not How" mindset, you free yourself to lead and focus on growth without being bogged down in details.

So consider this: Are you leaning on the right people? Do you have the right team of experts to help you scale and thrive? 

If not, it's time to build your competency by surrounding yourself with the right "whos" who can get things done—allowing you to step back, focus on what matters most, and take your business to the next level.