“Learn how to delegate”.
It’s something we’re all told in business. As owners, managers and decision-makers, task delegation is something we’re all familiar with, and yet, still struggle with too.
You may often find yourself taking on multiple roles every day, however not delegating certain projects can be counterproductive and even hinder your business’ sustainable growth.
One of the most common things I’ve seen in my years of being a Business Coach is when CEOs and managers appreciate that they have to delegate important tasks to other staff, yet unconsciously include themselves in fulfilling half of it anyway.
It’s quite an art finding the right blend between smart work and hard work, but when you do, it unlocks that magic principle of ‘leverage’ that will drive exponential business growth.
Here’s how.
Why delegation is important for your business’ success
When you first start your own business, you typically default to a jack of all trades – taking charge of marketing, managing finances, sales, operations and everything else that comes up on a daily basis. But as your business grows, you begin to realise that you can’t keep that up and you need more time to focus more on the bigger picture. So, you hire a team who can assist you to keep your business running.
This is when it happens.
You suddenly have to delegate and you have to learn to let go. But that’s not always easy, especially if you’re used to rolling up your sleeves whenever something comes your way. However, doing it all yourself is unsustainable.
You need to delegate if you want your business to reach the next level, diversify your workforce and avoid burning yourself out. Other team members can help you, but you need to let them!
Here are few questions for you, first
I want you to ask yourself these questions as a business owner:
- Where do you see your business in 5 to 10 years?
- Do you think you can get there by yourself? Should you?
- If you are not properly leveraging other people and delegating tasks, will you be holding yourself back from your 5/10 year goal?
Ok, now you have a clearer idea of the stakes and the vision, one last question:
- Who do you need to hire and for what roles to make your goal a reality?
The consequences of poor task delegation on your business
Effective delegation allows you to optimise your precious time as a business owner. However, ineffective and poor delegation can waste resources, create confusion, frustrate customers and cultivate a culture of distrust.
The ability to delegate effectively is a crucial part of successful leadership, yet delegation is still one of the most misunderstood and poorly executed management tasks.
Here are just some of the impacts of ineffective delegation on your business:
- You and your management find yourself stressed and overwhelmed.
- Your team’s morale suffers which causes insecurity and turnover.
- Inefficient work methods cause a significant loss in productivity.
Sure – we’ve all had that moment where we say: “if you want something done right, you need to do it yourself.” However, no matter how good you are, you will always need the support of your team to get everything done effectively and consistently.
That is, if you truly want to survive and grow.
5 tips to better work delegation to leverage your time best
To develop your delegation skills, you must recognise that assigning tasks to your team members will allow your business to thrive, give you time to focus on growing your business and help your team members with their own career growth as well.
I understand that learning the art of effective delegation in business can be difficult. After all, tasking someone with a specific job doesn’t just mean barking an order. Effective delegation involves empowering them to take on at least 95% of a role.
So, I’ve listed 5 tips to help you learn how to delegate well:
- Find the right person to do the task.
Not all of your team members possess the same level of skills and relevant knowledge. If you delegate a task to someone who is not capable of doing it, you won’t get the outcome you were hoping for.
Avoid wasting time and resources by delegating tasks to the wrong person. Take the time to find someone who is fit for the role and can deliver great results.
- Delegate tasks with specificity and a clear timeframe.
Clear communication is the key to effective delegation.
If you fail to specify what is expected from your employees, you’re leaving a lot up to chance and interpretation.
In your instructions, clearly mention:
- The expected outcome of the task in measurable terms.
- Deliverable time frames.
- The maximum allotted resources for the task to be completed.
- Check your employee’s understanding.
Don’t forget to ask your staff member if they’re set and ready, and get them to repeat the instructions back to you. This helps them take more ownership and if they foresee any obstacles, they can suggest ways to overcome them.
By doing so, you’ll be able to gauge their level of commitment and understanding, and give you both peace of mind.
- Empower your team by giving them space
Now that you’ve assigned them their tasks, remember that 95% of it is now up to them. Don’t micromanage – let them have room to try, learn, understand and succeed. This way, you get the freedom to do other projects and they can take ownership of their own roles, which can increase job satisfaction.
Also, be mindful of not being too much of a perfectionist. Most people won’t do a task as well as you but they will improve overtime.
- Monitor your staff members regularly.
Now, for the final 5% – delegating a task doesn’t mean that it’s not your responsibility anymore. Although you may have explained the task to your employee, it’s still essential for you to assess the outcomes.
Answering their questions and monitoring their overall progress will help ensure that they are on the right track, while preventing errors or mistakes which can save time, resources and energy.
Remember, task delegation is not a reason for you to abdicate your accountability.
Effective task delegation can greatly contribute to your business success & increases productivity
As you go through each day as a business owner, make a list of everything you do.
Then, create a list of things that your team members can do and assign them to the right people. By doing this effectively, you can all work together to achieve your united goal. This is why delegation has a direct impact on your business’ profitability.
Always keep in mind that a high-performing team is much better and more productive than a high-performing individual.
I can help you delegate tasks more efficiently
Whether you need to work out which tasks, how to assign or to whom, I’m here to help.
As a Business Coach and Mentor, I work with business owners like you to help effectively delegate tasks to your team and guide you on the path towards achieving your business goals.
Whether you’re struggling with work load delegation, losing focus of your goals or need a fresh perspective to leverage your team to reach their full potential, I’m here to help.
Simply schedule an initial discovery call today with me.
Stephen O’Sullivan
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