What you can learn from letting go

CEO: I Unplugged for 30 Days in the Middle of Covid19

In the middle of a global pandemic, I unplugged and took a vacation for 30 days, leaving my start-up Ditto in the hands of 20 employees spread out all over the world.

The lessons I learned about myself, my company and my staff were invaluable.

1. CEO self-care during Covid19 — I’ve always taken care of my employees. We have shut down the office multiple days during Covid19 and provided wellness resources ranging from yoga instructors to dietitians. And I make sure no one is working too late and stretched too thin on accounts. But, I never took my own advice. Taking 30 days off allowed me to fully recharge my heart and mind and forced me to realize that Covid19 isn’t going away and Ditto needs a CEO that has the focus, energy and peace of mind to truly lead through these uncertain times.
2. More confident account teams, clients — I’ve always been available to help and give advice to staff. It’s what I love about my job! But in my absence, account teams had to come together and figure out how to solve tough communications problems on their own. Maybe this meant bringing in another senior staffer or asking another colleague. And maybe mistakes were made. That’s how we learn! But when I got back, I saw stronger teams and staffers who are more confident in their work. And I saw clients who trust their account teams even more.
3. Leaders will lead — If I’m not in the office, someone has to lead. And senior staff stepped up to the challenge. And the reason they succeeded is simple: they care about the company, they care about me, they have a good attitude and they have a good work ethic. It also helps that all 20 Ditto staffers are amazing, uplifting, generous people. And now they know they can do it! So, I came back to leaders who are eager to take on more responsibility.
4. If they want you, they will wait — I was so worried about losing new business opportunities. And you know what happened? They almost all waited until I got back and then hired us! And they all were appreciative of the fact that I took time off. Companies that know your value should be patient enough to wait for it.

Big takeaway: Having the trust in your employees to be able to walkaway from your company for a month speaks volumes for where Ditto is at as a company. Taking a massive break empowered them on all levels, which means they can do their job with even more confidence — allowing me to channel my new and improved focus on growing the business. And it shows them the importance of wellness at work. A clear head and an open heart are the keys to a successful work day.