Mastering the Art and Science of Delegation

To keep a business growing to new levels of success, you must delegate.

Most business owners would agree with this statement in theory, but the moment they consider what they could delegate, they hit a roadblock. They feel overwhelmed by all the reasons why they can’t.

They think, “My business is too small,” or “We don’t have the budget,” or “It would take too long to train someone.”

Start by Asking “Why”

Why are you delegating? It’s really not about making your life easier or getting rid of tasks that cause you headaches (though that can be a benefit). It’s about creating a path for you to focus on what’s most valuable for your business. It’s not a luxury. It’s a necessary discipline to drive business success.

You slow down progress every time you take on tasks that can be done more cost effectively by others or when you simply don’t work within your Unique Ability®.

Always go back to WHY you delegate and commit to making it happen.

Create Your Delegate/Elevate Plan

Think about all of the time-consuming tasks you could delegate. Don’t get hung up on how you would delegate, or who you would delegate to. First – just identify what you will delegate and then build a plan around it.

Get creative. The plan could include outsourcing, collaborating with other departments, reevaluating if those tasks should be done differently, or deciding if those things are simply no longer needed.

Add this plan to your long-term issues list as a reminder: “What am I delegating this Quarter?” Your entire leadership team should hold each other accountable for delegating and elevating.

Here are a few takeaways around the art and science of delegating:

• It benefits the company. When you delegate, you are freeing up your time and expertise to contribute more value to the organization.
• It’s a requirement, not a luxury. It’s not about lightening your load. It’s about reallocating your time to better serve the company.
• It benefits others. Your delegated tasks give someone else in your company an opportunity to grow, learn a new skill, and advance their career.
• It gives you more time to manage and lead people. Your time is the most important resource you can give your team. The company will succeed when you help your people succeed.

I challenge you to think about the critical value-added things you’re not doing because you haven’t consistently delegated. What could you delegate to others? What would you do with the time you free up by delegating? How would that benefit your company?