When I first started my career, I encountered a common issue: the organizations I worked for seemed content to keep me in the same position indefinitely. Seeking career growth, I approached my managers for guidance on building a career path but was met with blank stares. Unsatisfied with this stagnation, I began identifying “vacuums”—areas where there was a need but a lack of skills to fill that need.

For instance, I noticed that many IT professionals, myself included, lacked fundamental business knowledge. This realization drove me to learn more about business operations and what drives them. Understanding that technology should serve business goals became a core principle at JNR Networks. We prioritize understanding our clients’ business needs first, which allows us to implement technology solutions that truly support their objectives. This broader perspective helped me stand out to employers and shaped our approach at JNR Networks.

The Power of Strategic Planning

As I write this, I’m traveling to San Carlos, Mexico, heading to a week-long scuba trip and off-grid strategic planning retreat. We started these retreats several years ago with two main goals. The first is to step away from daily operations and focus on long-term strategy. The second, less obvious goal, is to create a vacuum.

Mentoring and Empowering the Team

As our organization grew, I focused on mentoring our team to take over more areas of our business operations. Despite having a great team, I faced frustration as team members were hesitant to step up and lead. Seeking to understand the issue, I realized that the bottleneck was often at the top—myself. I needed to cast a clear vision, identify problems, and empower my team more effectively.

The Catalyst of Absence

A turning point came when I planned a family vacation to a remote area in Canada with little to no cell service. Discussing this with my team, they took it upon themselves to ensure they could handle operations in my absence. While there were challenges, the team did an amazing job managing issues and making decisions. This experience allowed us to assess decision-making processes and improve where necessary. Importantly, many responsibilities that the team took over during my absence remained with them, demonstrating their capability and leadership.

Creating and Filling Vacuums

This experience taught us that even with training and empowerment, it’s easy to revert to old habits. My absence created a vacuum that the team, being well-trained and competent, stepped up to fill. We now use this strategy regularly, with planned absences for strategic planning, allowing the team to apply their skills and take on more responsibilities.

Continuous Growth and Transition

As both my team and I grow, we find that transitions can occur without drastic vacuums, but the principle remains: a transition requires one person to step back so another can step forward. Properly planned vacuums can be powerful catalysts for growth, providing opportunities for team members to step up and lead.