Owning a business is hard work. When your business grows it presents new challenges. Although this process is exciting, it can be stressful. You’ve created and cultivated your business, but now it’s time to delegate some of the work. Knowing what and how to delegate is essential for success--success in growing both your business and your team.
The most effective way to delegate a task, is to give up most of the control. Think about your schedule and what tasks you are doing that do not directly affect your revenues. Ask yourself, “Do I need to do this or can someone else complete the task? Will this task develop a team member's skills? Will taking this task off my to do list allow me to focus on planning and growing revenues?”
Delegating tasks will help you maximize your own productivity as well as develop your team. When you delegate a task, your team feels valued. The more valued someone feels the more compelled they are to succeed.
Here are some tips to help you to successfully delegate:
Pick the right person for the job. Do you trust the person? Is the task utilizing this person’s skills, strengths, and talents? How is this person qualified to complete the task? The better you can qualify the person, the higher success rate you’ll both have.
Communicate, communicate, and communicate. Communicate your expectations clearly and often. Be specific with why each task needs to be done, how important it is, and that team members are free to ask questions at any time. Being available to troubleshoot will show that you support their efforts.
Do not micromanage. Once you’ve trained your team and explained the expectations and guidelines, walk away. If you trust each team member, then this should not be a problem. If you find yourself looking over his/her shoulder, you’ve chosen the wrong person for the task.
Give feedback. If you need to suggest some corrections, give a positive statement first, then explain the correction and end with a positive statement. An example might be, “Thank you for submitting your work on time. Going forward, please insert our logo and mission statement on every document. I like how you included our new services into the report. Keep up the good work.”
Be thankful. Showing your gratitude is essential. If you’ve trained your team properly, they will continue to be productive, add to the success of the company and be a valuable asset. Never take that for granted. A handwritten note, a smile, or a small token of your appreciation goes a long way. Plus, it’s the right thing to do.
Delegating can be a challenge when you are accustomed to maintaining control of all aspects of your business, but it is necessary in order to free you up to build your business. Find the right team members within your company or hire an independent contractor to manage the tasks that you do not need to take care of yourself. You’ll find that it is a big help in growing your business as well as building up your team.
