Successful entrepreneurs are highly driven individuals who often find innovation easier than teamwork. For many, it can also be difficult to loosen their control over a venture after pouring so much time and energy into it.
But if you want long-term success and strategies for growth, you need other people working well for you and that means delegation. How can you approach this vital business technique most effectively?
1) Don’t Delegate Only Drudgery
Although it can be tempting to delegate all the workaday drudgery to get it off your desk, your team will quickly lose motivation if they have no room to challenge themselves. Try and give each team member a varied mix of tasks to keep their interest engaged, and you’ll see much better productivity from them in the long run.
2) But Don’t Delegate Your Specialties
However, you should always keep for yourself the tasks at which you excel. Even if a job will tie up a large part of your time, if you’re the one who’ll get the best results, you’re the one who needs to do it.
3) Give Support
Offloading a task to your team doesn’t mean you can then ignore it until it’s completed. Be there to offer support and advice along the way if needed, and also keep a weather eye on progress so that you can spot developing issues before they become a real problem.
4) But Don’t Micromanage
However, it’s important to maintain an appropriate distance while the work is being done. If you try to micromanage your team, you’ll not only irritate and alienate them, but you’ll also be so heavily involved that you lose most of the benefits gained from delegation in the first place.
5) Give Clear Instructions
Make sure that when you delegate a task or responsibility, everyone knows where they stand and what’s expected of them. You can’t expect them to know what’s on your mind without it being clearly and fully expressed.
Lay out exactly what the task involves and how you’ll judge the results, and there’s a much better chance of it being completed to the standard you require.
6) Don’t Underestimate Your Team
Although as an entrepreneur you’re the leader and prime motivator of your team, don’t fall into the trap of thinking you’re indispensable. Give your team the appropriate freedom and responsibility to work as they see fit. Judge them on results, not processes or working styles, and don’t assume they’re less capable than they are until you’ve seen the results.
Use tools that will help your team be as effective as possible. When giving instructions to a large team or group, using presentation tools like google slides can be extremely effective! Keep it simple and make sure your directions are clear, and you will absolutely see increases in productivity.
7) Set Boundaries
However, you also need to make sure your team members know their boundaries and how much authority they have in any situation. Judging them on results doesn’t mean allowing overly risky or maverick behavior while working on the tasks you’ve delegated.
Even the most driven and energetic entrepreneur can only get so much done in a day. Delegating vital tasks with skill and judgment could be the most important factor in your future success.
