Delegation: The “What” and the “How”

Delegation is the process of transferring the responsibilities for performing a task to another person in, or out of, your organization. It’s a powerful tool, and there are strong business reasons for it:

• If we get sidetracked, we won’t be generating income
• If we’re working on things we don’t like and aren’t particularly good at, we’re expending resources that could be better spent on income-generating activities
• Being busy isn’t the same as being productive
• A growing business and to-list quickly lead to a point where we simply can’t do it all ourselves

Today we’ll talk about two important components of delegation that entrepreneurs seem to struggle with most: how to delegate and what to delegate.

How to delegate: Well-defined processes and systems ensure not only smooth day-to-day operations on the back end of our business, they also allow us to delegate tasks to someone else, confident they will be completed in the same way and with the same results. These systems don’t have to be complicated, but they must be standard. This is achieved by creating SOPs (standard operating procedures). Does this sound daunting? Start by writing the step-by-step instructions as you complete a given task. Then add it to a notebook. Continue to add instructions for other routine tasks, building a manual others can reference. When you assign the task to someone to complete, furnish them with the SOP for that task to ensure they follow your steps and realize the expected results.

Not only will this allow you to delegate a task or group of tasks, but it will free you up to work on what you do best, your unique ability. Start by delegating a small task. Imagine what you could do with even 30 extra minutes a week!

What to delegate: Sometimes it’s a struggle to find the balance between what to do yourself and what to delegate to someone else. This begins with an honest appraisal: What are you spending your time on during the business day? What is your unique gift, your core competency, your passion? How much time and energy are you spending on those things that tap into that passion? More importantly, how much time and energy are you spending on other things? Identify and focus on your zone of genius and outsource everything you’re not good at and that doesn’t generate income.

You might start by listing all the things you do in your business during a typical day. Then ask yourself, “Can someone else do this?” To get you started, you can download a worksheet for this purpose here.

Your time is valuable. Leverage the power of other people’s help. Contact us if you’re ready to delegate for growth.