It’s not uncommon to feel like you have to do everything yourself. After all, you started your business from scratch; you know it best.
As your business grows, you may want to keep the same level of control and engagement with every detail of daily operations. This is understandable, but it can also be a significant pitfall for entrepreneurs.
Just because you can do the work doesn’t mean you should. Let that sink in for a minute.
When you try to do everything yourself, you are limiting your growth and setting yourself up for burnout, stress, and an unsustainable workload.
By delegating tasks to others, you can focus on growing your business and developing new goals to help it thrive. Delegation is an essential skill for any business owner, but it can be daunting to know where to start. Plus, it can be hard to let go!
We’ve gathered our top strategies to help you delegate as your business grows — so you can learn to work smarter, not harder.
What is delegation?
The definition of delegation is simple: it’s when you entrust someone else with tasks that you would otherwise complete yourself. By delegating tasks, you can free up valuable resources and focus on long-term objectives that will enable your business to grow.
Why you might be reluctant to delegate
Here are a few reasons you might not want to delegate:
- Fear of mistakes or failure by the assigned person
- Difficulty finding the right candidate to delegate tasks to
- Attachment to certain tasks that have been done a certain way for a long time
- Feeling like it’s too much effort/not worth it to delegate simple tasks
- Unwillingness to spend money on training, wages or benefits
- Lack of trust or confidence in other people to do the job correctly
- Not wanting to relinquish control over specific tasks and processes
- Fear that delegating will lead to increased workload due to additional management roles.
Whatever the reason, delegation is a skill you must develop to protect yourself and ensure the continued success of your business. According to one study, CEOs who practice effective delegation generate 33 percent higher revenue than those who don’t.
When to delegate
Knowing when to delegate is an important part of the process. When you are starting out, it can be difficult to let go and trust someone else with your work.
However, delegation doesn’t mean giving away control — it’s about allowing yourself to focus on what you do best and entrusting others with the rest. The life of an entrepreneur can often be overwhelming, so having a team of people to help alleviate some of your workload can make all the difference.
Knowing when to delegate is essential, however, as it might not be appropriate in every situation. Before you assign a task to someone else, ask yourself these questions.
- Is there someone else with more expertise than me who would be better equipped to handle the task?
- Is there a better use of my time?
- Do I have the necessary resources available to me?
- Do I have anyone available with the right skill set for the job?
- Do I have time to train someone to complete this project effectively?
- Are they comfortable with taking on the task?
- Is this a task where I would be willing to let go of full control?
How to delegate effectively
Establish clear expectations
Before delegating any tasks, set clear expectations for the task at hand. This includes providing step-by-step instructions on what must be done and how long it should take.
This will help ensure that the person you are delegating to understands what is expected and can work towards achieving it properly. It will also help them save time, as they won’t have to continually refer back to you for clarification or approval on specific aspects of the task.
Find the right person
For delegation to be successful, you must find the right person for the job. The ideal candidate should be someone you trust who is capable of delivering the results you need.
Take the time to vet any potential candidates thoroughly, as delegating tasks involves trusting someone else with crucial aspects of your business. It’s also helpful to provide ample training and support to give them the best chance of success.
Stop micromanaging
Once you have delegated a task, it’s important to trust that the person can handle it. While some oversight might be necessary, avoid constantly checking in and hovering over their shoulder.
Many entrepreneurs fall into the trap of micromanaging — trying to control every aspect of a task. Even if they are willing to “delegate,” they end up hindering the task’s progress by being overly involved.
This can be detrimental to your business, as it reduces efficiency and productivity, and can undermine your team’s ability to handle tasks confidently.
The life of an entrepreneur
Being a business owner is no easy task — there will be times when it feels like all of the responsibilities are on your shoulders.
By learning to delegate, you can focus on growing your business, and achieve more than you ever thought possible. Delegation doesn’t mean relinquishing creative control; it’s trusting the team you’ve built and taking a few steps back to look at the bigger picture.
Delegation may be daunting at first, but with the right strategies in place, it can help you create a better, more efficient workflow for your business. Take the time to learn how to delegate effectively and leverage the resources available to you — it could be one of the best decisions you make as an entrepreneur!
By learning to delegate, you can ensure your business grows and reaches its objectives. And, if you need help marketing your business, Kraken can help. We offer a variety of services that can be tailored to your business’s needs, from creating marketing plans and campaigns to providing copywriting services, website design, and helpful automation. Contact us today to learn more!