As a business owner, the buck stops with you on how to delegate tasks effectively.
But that doesn’t mean you need to do it all on your own.
According to this infographic from ScaleTime, 58% of small business owners advise new entrepreneurs NOT to be afraid of asking for help.
58% of small business owners advise new entrepreneurs NOT to be afraid of asking for help.Click To TweetIf you can learn to delegate tasks effectively, you can free up your time and energy to work on the things that matter most – as well as the tasks you actually enjoy.
In this post, I’m going to give you 5 strategies to delegate tasks effectively…so you can decrease your own workload and boost your productivity.
5 Strategies to Delegate Tasks Effectively
Ready to learn how to delegate? The following are 5 strategies that will help you assign tasks effectively.
1. Communicate Your Desired Outcome.
The goal of a particular task may seem obvious to YOU, but it may not be obvious to everyone else.
Add to this that YOUR desired outcome may be different than the next person’s desired outcome…
And THIS is why it’s so important to be crystal clear about your expectations.
For instance, if you assign the task of “cleaning up the client database”, be sure to communicate what this “cleaning up” looks like to you.
Give them a clear picture of exactly what you’re expecting a “clean database” to look like!
2. Be Specific, Especially When it Comes to Time and Money.
Communicating your desired outcome is important, but it’s not quite enough.
If there are two areas that need major clarification – more than anything else – it’s how much money and time you’re allotting to the task.
Be super clear in setting deadlines, both for when the task should be complete, and when you expect certain deliverables (for bigger jobs).
In terms of money, communicate the maximum amount you want to spend on tools and other resources.
Being clear about both of these up front will help you avoid frustration and disappointment, and will free up your team members to work independently within the structure you’ve given them.
3. Provide Support Along The Way.
Delegating doesn’t mean simply handing off a task then washing your hands of it.
Delegating doesn’t mean simply handing off a task then washing your hands of it.Click To TweetYou need to be available to answer questions, check-in on progress, and just generally be a resource to the person completing the task.
This doesn’t mean you micromanage the project: in fact, avoid this at all costs (unless you want some VERY unhappy people working for you!).
Instead, it simply means communicating that you’re available to help…and then making sure you are actually available if they do reach out!
4. Document Your Processes…BEFORE You Delegate.
If there’s one thing you take from this post, let it be this.
If you have your tasks documented before you delegate them, it will make a WORLD of difference.
Rather than starting from scratch every time a task needs doing, your team members will know exactly what steps to take to complete the task.
There are a number of different ways you can document your processes:
- Create simple task lists that include the tasks that need to be done, and the steps needed to complete them.
- Create a full list of standard operating procedures (or SOPs) your team members can consult.
- Use process mapping to create a visual workflow document.
- Use software like Monday.com which will allow you to keep all your processes in one centralized location and make creating workflows and delegating tasks so much easier.
I go into this in much more detail in my post, How to Turn Repeating Tasks into a Business Process that You Can Delegate to a Team, so be sure to check it out!
5. Empower Your Team Members to Do What They Do Best.
Let your team members be the superheroes they are!
You’ve probably heard this quote from Steve Jobs, but it’s worth a mention here: “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.”
“It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.”Click To TweetWhen deciding who to delegate tasks to, choose the best person for the job, then empower them to play to their strengths.
If you’ve been clear about your desired outcome (#1), about your expectations re: time and money (#2), and have documented your processes (#4), you can sit back and feel confident in letting your team members do what they do best!
Final Thoughts
If you’re ready to start outsourcing, I trust this post has given you some clarity.
Once you figure out the “secret sauce” of task delegation, I think you’ll find your life gets a WHOLE lot easier!
Need more help with learning how to create processes or manage your team? Check out these helpful posts:
How to Systemize Your Business to Grow and Scale in a Manageable but Profitable Way
10 Steps to Build a Team When You Have No Clue How to Get Started
Successfully Manage a Remote Team with These 10 Tips
Are you ready to start delegating tasks to your team? If not, what’s holding you back? Let me know in the comments below!
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Hello Kim, It was a great and Informative post, I would like to say thank you for sharing such an informative article with us. Good Job!
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