Don’t Do it All Yourself! Margo’s Easy Delegation Tips!

The first rule of management is delegation. Don’t try and do everything yourself because you can’t. ~Anthea Turner

Delegation is a useful productivity tool we often hear about— one that can really make a significant difference in our businesses in terms of increased income and more free time for us! Unfortunately many people are reluctant to get on board the delegation train.

Learning to release certain tasks and even projects to others can free up much of your time for more important tasks and projects. As a business owner, it is imperative that you spend your time (work time) on the activities that will bring in more clients, increase revenue, grow your business, and increase your profits. The other activities should be delegated out as much as possible.

Many people think they cannot delegate for several reasons:

• They feel they are too unorganized to show another person what to do. (But teach another, and you become more organized)!
• They feel they do not have the funds to be able to delegate jobs and tasks. (Start small, and then use that time to make more sales to pay for it).
• They feel they are just too busy to stop and take the time to delegate. (You are too busy and will stay so because you are nor delegating)!
• They feel another person will not do the task the way they would do it. (So what? Who cares HOW they do it as long as the results are what you want)!

Each of these reasons reinforces the need to delegate. As long as we hold onto doing the jobs that keep us from growing our businesses, we will feel frustrated, overwhelmed, unproductive, and behind on our goals.

Delegation will free you up. It will allow you to focus your personal efforts on those things that will make you more productive and profitable. Delegation is a skill like any other. It must be learned.

Types of Tasks to Delegate

The types of tasks and projects to delegate are those that others can do without negatively affecting your business, and those that when delegated, will positively affect your business. Delegate the tasks that free you up to grow your business.

These include:

• Tasks that require low or unspecialized skills (such as filing, cleaning, running errands)
• Tasks you are not good at
• Tasks you dislike and that are not the kind that must be done by the business owner (i.e. those which will not negatively affect your business if you delegate them)
• Tasks that someone else is especially proficient at (such as companies that offer services in a specific area like book-keeping, tax-preparation, newsletter services, messaging services, etc. (i.e. those which will positively affect the business if you delegate them)
• Tasks that tie you up and keep you from working on your personal and professional goals

Begin to delegate by choosing low skill tasks that most people can do. As you get used to the idea of delegation, you can begin to release other jobs that require more skill.

To be successful at delegation, you must find, and sometimes train, someone who is responsible and competent. You must make clear to the one you delegate to what your objectives are. Be specific about the results you expect. Write down these goals and the results you are looking for.  Make certain that the delegate is sure of what is expected of him/her.

Give a time frame or date for completion. Check in occasionally to monitor the process, but do not spent too much time here. The point is to find someone who is capable of the task so it will free up your time. Refrain from trying to control the situation, which is actually a type of procrastination and will waste time.  Allow the delegate the freedom to do the task—even if they do it a bit differently than you would. If the results are what you want, it will not matter how you got there.

Learn to delegate, and you will begin to see changes in your business that you once only dreamed of. It is not difficult to have a successful business, but it does take time, effort, and commitment. Follow the road that other successful people have traveled before you. DELEGATE! The results will amaze you!