The importance of delegation in business
The task of delegation is a fundamental skill, that you as a business owner must master to run a successful business. This will not only give you more time to work ON the business rather than just IN the business but it will also empower your team.
As a business owner, by trusting your team and accepting you can’t do it all yourself, you will find that you will accomplish far more as a group.
However, in order for you to be a successful delegator, you need to ensure that you get a few things right.
Here are some tips that will help you get the most out of delegating:
Preparation
In order for an employee to deliver quality results, they need to have a clear understanding of the task they are undertaking, and what is expected of them. Develop the discipline by taking the time to work out exactly what you are asking for.
Convey information
Once you know exactly what you want done, pass this information to the employee. You need to be clear on your expectations such as timing, frequency of communication, context, updates and format.
Re-iterate information
It is easy to assume that employees understand what you want, rather than making sure that they do. You need to confirm understanding by asking questions around the task or getting the employee to paraphrase what you have asked them to do to ensure they understand all aspects of what is required.
Commitment
This is an essential part of the delegation process that is often missed. Business Owners assume that the employee has accepted the tasks they have been given. The employee needs to confirm their commitment to delivering the expected result and to the process assigned to do this. They also need to know the consequences for themselves and the company if they fail to deliver.
Train your staff
If the task you delegated ends up back with you and you need to complete it, it is likely that not enough time was spent on the preparation stage. If an employee gets stuck at a particular stage, treat this as a learning opportunity. Help the employee by coaching and training them through the task ensuring they have the knowledge and resource to do this. The employee will then be better equipped to carry out similar tasks in the future. Do not take tasks back.
Accountability
Accountability is key to the process of delegation. The employee needs to be communicating regularly about the status of the task and the timing of delivery so there are no surprises at the last minute.
The delegation process becomes more efficient the more you do it. And following all of the above tips will ensure that it is successful. It is rarely the employee that is the problem. It is much easier and less expensive for a business owner to learn a new approach than to replace staff.
So, do you delegate or abdicate?
Trusting your employees to carry out tasks that you have taken the time to explain to them and helping them work through any challenges so that they can eventually do the task independently, will not only result in the work being carried out to high standard, but will also result in you having more time to work ON the business.
If you’d like to find out more about how you can manage your time I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to message me.
Take a look at some of my other blogs below:
TEAM (Together everybody achieves more)
Is it time to make time? The art of time management for your business
Does this resonate with you? If you would like to book a complimentary, no-obligation, coaching session to discuss this further, please email me at falgunidesai@actioncoach.com
