Whether it’s in work or even at home, more often than not, I hear the same five words: “I need to delegate more.” Then, immediately afterward, they say, “But I don’t think there’s anybody who will understand my work, take it as seriously as I do, and do a great job.”
As a result, nothing gets delegated and they are left doing everything for themselves.
The problem is not a lack of capable and committed people willing to help. It’s that people simply don’t know how to delegate and are afraid to let go, even a little. So they assume there’s no way forward.
Also, someone can be great at delegating in one area, but not as natural in others. They may even enjoy the actual task, but it still takes time and creative energy they could spend on the reason they went into business in the first place.
Many factors come into play – trust is a big one. Trust that the other person will follow through, do it well and on time, maybe even trust in themselves that they can articulate what they need. Delegating is not always easy.
Here’s what I recommend instead to become more natural at delegation:
- Do your research. It’s important to know what skills are needed by the person you’re going to hire. Just like hiring an accountant to do your taxes, you’ll want to find someone with expertise. If you need to delegate setting up your newsletter, find someone with experience using MailChimp, Constant Contact or a similar program.
- Take time to plan. You’ve got to give the person doing the work enough time to schedule it into their calendar and get it done. This requires planning ahead. When a client needs to submit changes to their newsletter, for example, they would ask their editor on Monday if she has time for edits on Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning. They don’t just assume and send it over to them. You need to be prepared, too, for the answer to be “not this week, but I can next week.”
- Provide specific information. “Can you handle this?” is not enough information for the person you’re delegating to – even if it’s a simple and (in your mind) self-explanatory task. Include details, timelines and any supporting information. For example: “I’m ready to publish my next newsletter. Attached is the word document and the images I’d like to use. Can we schedule it for this Friday at 6:00 am?” Be thorough: include deadlines and guidelines about how you’d like the work to be done.
- Create check-in and control points. If you’ve delegated a project, schedule check-in points for milestones. Sometimes there can be misunderstandings about the required tasks even when you both think you understand. Regular meetings will help with discovery and allow for adjustments.
- Develop a communicative relationship. When you work with someone, you are in a relationship with them. I don’t mean you need to be their best friend, but simple things that work in your other relationships will work in this one too. A simple, “Thank you – great job,” or “How was your weekend?” will go a long way. Be sure to answer questions about the project quickly so that it can stay on track and on time. Your work together will require conversation – either written or verbal.
The person assisting you wants to do a good job. If that’s not happening, check these five points to see where you two might be going off track.
Delegation is a powerful way to leverage your time and get help with areas of your business where you might not have expertise or desire to do. The longer you work together, the more efficient you’ll both get, and the trust will grow too. Done well, it can be a big win for you and your business.