Building a business from the ground up is a deeply personal affair. When you first start out, it seems like everything is on your shoulders. Every success is because of your efforts, as is every failure. As your business grows, though, it can be hard to let go of those feelings. As more people have a stake in your business, it should be natural that you let some of them take on more responsibilities. If you’re hesitant about slowing down, it’s good to have a plan in place. Below are a few ways that will help you delegate tasks as a business owner.
Start With a List
What are your responsibilities? You might have a nebulous idea of what you do every day, but it’s important to write down all of your processes before you start delegating. Making a simple list can allow you the opportunity to immediately zero in on those activities that are simply not worth your time. Once you have the list compiled, you can start looking for activities that may be better handled by others in your organization. Only by taking stock of your daily activities will you be able to determine what can be delegated.
Observe, then Decide
Never rush into delegation. Before you start assigning activities to others, take a moment to determine what assets you have in your organization. Are there specific individuals who might be suited to certain tasks? Are there things that are currently being done that make some of your tasks redundant? The answers to these questions may make delegating tasks easier. It’s also important to take stock of what others are doing to find out if they have the time to take on some of your responsibilities; shifting your workload to others may require you to make further organizational changes in order for delegation to be successful.
Delegate from a Place of Strength
Above all else, make sure that you delegate your work from a position of strength. Don’t delegate because you are afraid of a task or because you don’t want to deal with the consequences of failure. Instead, delegate because you believe others can get the job done while you focus your energies somewhere else. Delegation is a tool that’s meant to lighten your workload, but it should also be a tool that allows you to focus more on the things that matter. Don’t ever undertake this process from a place of fear or weariness; delegate because it can help your business succeed.
Set a Trial Period
Delegation is tough for those who have a problem letting go. If you’re unsure of your own ability to let others take over, set up a trial period with a firm end date. Don’t make any changes to the process before that date so that the person to whom you have delegated responsibility can have a chance to prove himself or herself. Barring a disaster that could negatively impact your business’ long-term profits, you should use this period as a chance to get used to delegating authority to others.
Don’t Be Afraid to Change Your Mind
Once you’ve delegated responsibility, you’ll have the chance to see how things work. Once you’ve made it through the trial period, you should reassess whether the attempt has worked out. You may find that delegation doesn’t work for a particular responsibility or that the person to whom you delegated responsibility cannot handle the task. Regardless of what’s happened, you should remember that it’s up to you to act in the best interest of your business. Don’t be afraid to change things around simply because you are afraid that it might make you look weak.
Delegation should be a process, not a snap decision. Take time to plan, observe, and change your strategies as necessary. In time, delegation will help your business run more efficiently and allow you to refocus on the things that matter. A benefit of a growing business should be allowing others to help shoulder your burdens. Relying on yourself and yourself alone will lead only to burnout and a higher probability of failure. Let your business thrive by letting go.