As a business owner or CEO, you have had to wear many hats over the years; from selling to accounting, you have done it all. You may even take out the trash at the end of the day. However, trying to take care of everything can be harmful to both your well-being and your business.
It’s not always easy for highly driven entrepreneurs to give up the reins. But for your company to grow and thrive as it should, leaders need to learn the art of delegation. No one can do the many tasks necessary to run a growing organization on their own. It is simply asking for trouble and it builds in an inherent weakness into the business model.
Key Considerations to Artful Delegation
Delegation is not just telling others on your team what to do, there is an art to this important aspect of leadership. Here are some things you must consider when delegating tasks within your business:
Know What to Delegate
Having the ability to understand what you need to let go of and what the skills are of the other members of your team is important. A few examples of tasks you can always delegate include:
- Nonessential Tasks
- Dirty Work
- Specialized Tasks
By taking advantage of the various skills of your teammates, you can ensure that the task is completed by the most qualified individual. You have dedicated time to finding team members who are good at what they do, let them do it!
Provide Clear Instructions
The key to successful delegation is being clear about what you are expecting for the outcome. The more time you invest in instructing, teaching, and giving clear and tangible feedback to the people you have trained, the greater the results you will get in the end.
Ask for Progress Reports
Delegation does not necessarily mean relinquishing complete control of a task. Master the art of asking how people are doing on the project at hand. You may have further direction or insight to offer based on their progress.
Understand That Different is Not Wrong
Doing a task a certain way may work for you but this doesn’t mean it’s the only way to accomplish the task. When delegating, you must remember that you can not micromanage how the task is done, as long as the desired outcome is achieved.
Focus on Your Passions
What are the things within your business that excite you? Focus on these passion projects and delegate the tasks that no longer fuel your passion for your company.
What NOT to Delegate
Of course, there are things that you should never delegate. A few examples of things you shouldn’t delegate include:
- Your own issues and/or troubles.
- Your job duties and responsibilities.
The adage is still true today, “Feed a man a fish, feed him for the day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.” By learning the art of delegation, you can encourage other members of your team to gain skills and experience that will serve them well in the future.
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