The Power of Delegating in Business
I was at an entrepreneur summit where a speaker was talking about delegating tasks in business to help free up your schedule.
When it came to Q & A, a business owner asked
“what do you do when the person you delegate to doesn’t do the task the way that you do?”
As a detailed individual, and Virtual Assistant, I understood why she had this question.
When you have a certain way to work your business and do daily tasks, it is hard to think of anyone else doing it. You have specifics and details that you make sure to do with each task, each time.
This reminded me of the time I taught my son how to push mow the lawn … the yard lines maybe didn’t look all too straight. 😄
The speaker answered the question with, “did the project get done?”
I immediately thought “good question” 🙂 and yes it did, my grass was cut short.
We all work in different styles, with different ways to complete projects. There could be a plan A and a plan B, maybe even a C, D, and E.
But if the project gets done, does it matter which plan they took to get there?
Sometimes yes, it does.
But oftentimes the path taken to completion doesn’t always matter.
Delegating works because we have so many things to do and not enough time to get it all done, right?
I talk about it alot,
TIME. Gaining more time in both personal life and business is tough, there is always so much to do and unfortunately we can’t ‘technically’ buy more time for our days.
For some of us, the thought of delegating gives us anxiety and it is hard to let go of the tasks – especially when it comes to the business that you’re working hard to build and grow.
But if we have less time with family, friends, self care and more, wouldn’t it be better to let ‘some’ things go?
THE POWER OF DELEGATING IN YOUR BUSINESS
As a solo-preneur, I understand the hardship of passing along projects and tasks that you have started from the beginning and are the only person who has worked on it. We start our business from scratch and build it up,
on our own.
But if we are looking to move our business up the ladder, we should take a minute and really think about how we can make better use of our time.
As a Virtual Assistant, I talk with many small business owners about delegating and outsourcing tasks so they can gain time and energy to focus on the most important aspects of their business.
The biggest factor I hear about with delegation is they believe it will take them more time to explain the task to someone else, which they consider a waste of time and effort as they have to explain, answer questions and fix things that don’t get done correctly.
I understand this completely.
It all comes back to the same thing … TIME.
The solution to this requires a change in perspective. As a business owner, we need to look “down the road” and think yes, this might be more time for us right now, but it is going to provide us with a great long-term benefit.
When you invest the time now to explain and teach someone the process, it saves you more time in the long run, and provides you time to focus on the tasks you cannot delegate.
How to be a confident delegator.
When you start to delegate tasks, it is important to stay confident in your decision and know this is a professional piece in your business that you need to do for growth down the road.
If you struggle with delegation in your business, there’s a few things you can do to grow your confidence in this arena and trust that you’re making the right move.
☑️ Delegate the right tasks.
As business owners there are tasks that simply need only our attention so it is important to review all tasks before delegating. Create a list of those you need to do and those you can teach someone to do.
☑️ Choose the right person
You want to delegate tasks to someone you trust, who has the skills to execute the task in the best way, whether that is an employee on your team or a contractor. Meet with them, discuss the task and get a feel for how they would work the task before you delegate it.
☑️ Schedule the time to teach
Schedule time in your calendar where you can focus on a full walk through of the task and process completely, providing them with the tools and directions they need. Be firm on any deadline they may need for the task and be sure to take their questions and answer them fully so they feel comfortable with the task as well.
☑️ Focus on the outcome, less about the process
Put a focus on the end result so they know how the task should be at the end. We all work in different ways and it is ok to let them get the job done their way. If there are some specifics to the task, go over those in your process, just be sure to give them the clearest direction so they understand it.
☑️ Check-ins
It is good to do consistent check-ins as they start working on the task. This gives you a time to see how it is going and a time for them to ask you questions. There is no need to ‘hover’ or ‘micro-manage’ the process, give them time to work the task.
☑️ Share appreciation
Be sure to acknowledge the good work you see them doing, share your appreciation for their work and performance. This builds a good work relationship and creates loyalty. If you are happy with the end result, you want to keep them working for you.
Delegating gets easier as you work with it more and create a team, whether that be inside your business or out.
DELEGATE WITH PURPOSE
In my experience, I feel the
main area
to focus on in delegating is the outcome, not the process.
And I know that can feel hard to do.
But don’t let that stop you. If you want to see growth, be
purposeful and work on a plan to delegate tasks.
As a Virtual Assistant, I take on many different delegated tasks, and my process includes working a plan and discussing the process before anything gets started. I want the details, my work is always in the interest of a good result.
I encourage you to take a look at your task list and plan what you can delegate.
You will not only be working on growth, but you will
SAVE TIME in your day.
As I have learned, my lawn doesn’t have to show straight lines when mowed, the task is done and I gained an hour in my workday. 😁
Let’s create a delegating plan for you. Connect with me
here for a time to chat.
I am here for YOU. 🖤
I'm Brady.
I'm a
small biz virtual assistant, specializing in helping you stay on top of your day-to-day tasks.
HERE'S HOW I CAN HELP.
