Imagine arriving at your desk and having a to-do list full of tasks that are enjoyable, meaningful, or relatively easy.
It sounds like a bit of a dream, doesn’t it?
No more slogging your way through things you find difficult or that bore the pants off you.
And how can you achieve this dream-like state?
With a bit of delegation of course! Simply outsource the tasks that you don’t like doing, are too time-consuming, or that you really dislike.
Done! Bob’s your uncle!
But, there is often a speedbump in this foolproof plan. While that all sounds great, in reality, many business owners and managers struggle to delegate effectively.
If you haven’t yet mastered the skill of delegation, it’s time to learn how to let go. That way, you can use your precious time wisely, knowing that the “other” jobs are being taken care of.
Here’s how to do it…
How To Delegate When You Struggle To Let Go
Trust Your Choices
Scared to leave important jobs up to other people and have them let you down? Choosing the right person/team for the task can alleviate this concern. When outsourcing and/or delegating work, trust yourself to pick the right person for the task. Look at their areas of expertise and their strengths.
If you are outsourcing, read reviews or client feedback, choose a reputed freelancer or business, and schedule a video call for an in-depth chat before making a decision.
Take Baby Steps
Sometimes, it can be a leap of faith to let someone else handle part of your business. It is your baby, after all! If it all feels too daunting, start by delegating smaller, less important jobs and work your way up from there.
Then, once you have built trust with your support team, you can increase the number of tasks that you hand over. Having confidence in your team will remove the need to micromanage them and relieve the stress of the job not being done right.
Keep In Touch
When you first delegate, it can be tempting to micromanage. But this truly is a poor use of your time and somewhat defeats the purpose of delegation!
In saying that, you can’t just have to throw a job at someone and forget about it. Instead, set up a system or schedule for check-ins. Then, you will have the chance to spot any problems, answer any questions, and give feedback.
Collaboration and communication tools like Trello, Asana or Slack can help you keep tabs on the progress of tasks without wading in too far.
Reality Check Yourself
Many people have problems delegating because they think they can do the task faster and better than anyone else. This may not be true in the long run.
Getting someone up to speed initially may take longer, but once they understand the job, they may be able to do it to a higher standard than you. This is particularly true if it is their area of expertise. Plus, it then frees up your time to focus on your own area of expertise (or as well like to call it, your zone of genius).
Change Your Mindset
Instead of seeing the people you outsource to as employees, think of them as partners that you are working with. This mindset shift is often enough to help you relinquish control of how you think the job should be done. When you delegate to professionals, they have their own systems and processes and know the best, most effective way to get the job done.
Keep Your Eyes On The Prize
When you find yourself struggling to let go and trust the people you delegate to, remind yourself why you chose to outsource in the first place. Look at your business goals and remember how much faster you will be able to achieve them if you master the art of delegation.
Need a trusted partner to delegate all your tasks too? Then, Admin Army could be the partner you have been looking for. Our team have huge amounts of expertise in systems, process, administration, bookkeeping, automation and more.
Get in touch with us today to see how we can wage war on the tasks that you don’t have time for.
Know you need to delegate, but not sure which tasks to start with?