Are You a ‘Lone Ranger’ Woman in Business?

In a previous article I explored the myth that all you need to succeed is the strategy and know how. The myth I’m exploring today is that of the Lone Ranger woman in business – thinking you should be able to do everything yourself; that the way to succeed is to rely on no-one but yourself.

Now this is understandable in the sense that many of us are brought up to be independent women, but it can leave us feeling inadequate.

It’s also understandable when you consider the speed of technological advances and the easy availability of online information and advice, giving you the knowledge and the tools to be able to do anything and everything in your business. We often buy into this figuratively and literally by buying the info, in the belief that we will save money by doing more ourselves.

However you need to ask whether the money you’re saving is worth the extra effort and time? Whether it’s bringing you the results you want? Whether doing everything is helping you feel good about yourself and your business? AND, whether it leaves you sufficient time to do the very thing you set up in business to do i.e. solve problems by providing your product or service?

Because we can get so caught up in doing the book-keeping, the admin, setting up a website, social media, blogging, sales appointments, marketing, PR, and sales that the actual delivery seems almost secondary, and this can leave you feeling down. If this is the case then you have a choice to make.

You can keep doing the same thing and hope for different results (and we all know where this can lead) OR you can do something different. By this I mean accept that asking for help is a sign of maturity and strength, not an admission of weakness.

When you see dancers in a stage show or competition they all have a supporting troupe to help them focus on where they give the most value – namely in the performance itself, in the creative expression and interpretation of their dance. That supporting troupe might consist of people who share the stage for a while, and those who operate in the background. And it’s often changing, in line with the needs and challenges of the dance and the dancer at any given time.

The truth is that no successful woman entrepreneur I know of has ever done it all by herself. She freely admits that she's had support from different people at different times in their lives and in their businesses – people who’ve acted as confidant, challenge, support, mentor, and friend. She may have started out as a lone ranger but realised that this attitude was not serving her well personally, professionally or financially.

So if you recognise the lone ranger tendency in yourself, let me ask you how’s it working for you?

Take a little time to look at your business set up, at how you’re spending your time, and at how much time you spend working. Also consider your results, and decide whether the way you’re working is working for you and for your business. And if not, decide to change it. Ask for help to get you more productive at work, and happier outside of work.

Because I truly believe that you are not meant to be separate from others, you are meant to work together to help each other achieve what you each want for yourselves