Do you need more hours in your day? Do you have so much work you’re not even sure where to dig in? If so, you’re like hundreds of other entrepreneurs who say they’re overwhelmed with work. But why is that? Some of the most common excuses include these:
- You’re too busy to take the time to delegate or train someone else.
- You don’t have the time to explain tasks or projects.
- You’re the “best” or “only” person who can do the job right.
- No one else is available or suitable.
- If you delegate responsibility, you’ll lose control over the project.
And here’s the result: projects get backed up, and you get too busy to fulfill other important responsibilities. Your people wait, sometimes without enough work to do, while important skills and challenges aren’t addressed. Employees who are interested in the growth and development of their interests, skills and responsibilities go unsatisfied. And inevitably, productivity and profitability suffer.
Delegation can be your answer, especially when employees feel they’re being given an opportunity to learn new skills, gain more knowledge and feel more connected to the organisation. But not if they feel the boss is simply “dumping” extra or unwanted tasks on them. The simple yet most powerful key in the delegation process is to remember that delegation and added responsibilities are important tools for motivating employees.
Just how do you go about handing over some of your tasks?
- Identify the best person for the job. Ironically, the best person isn’t always the most experienced or the most knowledgeable. The best person is the one who’s eager to learn, motivated and demonstrates the potential to assume greater responsibilities. Get to know your people. Find out what challenges them and what their interests are.
- Clearly and logically identify the goal of the project. Check that the employee you’ve selected to hand this over to understands and can implement each step. Be very careful not to ask these two useless questions: “Did you understand me?” and “Did you hear me?” The answers to these questions are almost always “yes,” whether or not that response is true. Simply stated, no one wants their boss to know they didn’t understand instructions lest they appear dumb or incompetent. You can ask such questions as: “What part of this process will you implement first, second, etc.?” “What part will you need additional resources for?” “What part will be most challenging or easiest for you or others?” “What part seems unclear or needs further discussion?”
- Establish clear milestones and deadlines. Most entrepreneurs are used to “running with the ball” and doing a good job on their own. But your employees may not be as skilled as you are. Be careful to lay out some clearly understood milestones and the times and dates by which the employee will have accomplished a certain part of the task and report back to you on their progress. In this way, you can be assured the project is being done accurately and on time.
- Be sure to provide frequent, balanced feedback. Someone who’s a novice needs to hear well-balanced feedback – both positive and negative – to understand how they’re doing and whether they’re meeting your expectations regarding the project and its timeframes. Without regular feedback, employees can easily assume they’re focused and headed in the right direction.
- Review the process post-completion. This allows all the people involved to identify what they would repeat, modify or change next time around. It also gives you the chance to see what was learnt and whether or not you can assign increased levels of responsibility to the project manager.
