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The Art of Delegating - Your Winning Strategy

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If you are a control freak, like me, then you probably find it hard to delegate tasks and projects. However, delegation is a crucial part of growing your business. If you are starting to see your company excel, then delegating will help you get there.

I have fought the delegation battle for years, always saying to myself, “I can just get this finished faster.” But, as I am learning, I may be able to get it done quickly, but with everything else I need to do, it may not get it done at all.

If you are reading this, chances are you have experienced the same thing at some point or another. The feeling of being overwhelmed, over worked, and just over it, in general. If that is the case, then it may just be time to take a breath, find a good teammate to trust, and hand off some of your tasks. Afterall, that is what all successful leaders and managers do.

So, how does one just simply lay off? Well, here are a few tips that I have used in my life to be more productive, get more done, and be more successful overall.

1. Find the right people

This may seem obvious but is a lot hard than you might think. Here are a few questions to ask when hiring a person to work with:

  • Do you trust them?
  • Are they better at a specific skill than you are?
  • Do they fit in with your company culture?
  • Do they listen?
  • Are they passionate?

In my opinion, the biggest factor to keep in mind is trust. If you do not trust this person, how will you ever let them take the wheel? Instead of taking weight off of your shoulders, you are simply putting more on, because you will found yourself constantly micro-managing them.

If they are better at something than you are, embrace it. That is a GREAT thing. For example, I am good at Social Media, but my marketing coordinator is better at it. Why? She is a millennial who took social media marketing classes in school. While I had to learn social media through research and trial and error, she had a strong social background when she joined our team. Why wouldn’t I want her taking over our social presence?

2. Set clear expectations

Set goals and expectations from the very start. You need to set the ground rules of how you are going to work together, so you do not feel like you constantly have to watch them and they do not feel like you are undermining their judgment and work.

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3. Use a project manager

A project manager will help you track what your team is doing without you having to look over their shoulders all the time. Assign tasks and make it a requirement that your team input their activities and hours spent working in the project manager everyday. This will keep you informed and ensure you are not bugging the heck out of your team with constant questioning. It builds confidence on both sides and ensures that all expectations are being met.

4. Hold weekly meetings & stop micro managing

Weekly meetings are a great way to make sure that you and your team are all on the same page. Go over all of your current projects and let your team give you the updates you need. This is the time for them to show what they have done and for you to go over any concerns, questions, or to simply praise them for the amazing job they are doing.

Weekly meetings will keep you from micromanaging on a daily basis. If you trust your team, let them take the wheel, allow them to take ownership of their work and show you what they are capable of, you might just be pleasantly surprised.

People tend to be happier and therefore more productive if they do not have someone questioning their every move. So move over and settle down.

5. Focus on yourself          

If you trust your team, have set clear expectations, use a project manager, and hold weekly meetings then you really should have nothing to worry about. Sit back and focus on all the tasks you have to finish. This is why you delegate in the first place, let’s not be counterproductive here. Now is the time to take care of your responsibilities, develop new strategies, evaluate old ones, and really make a difference in your organization. If you are bogged down by all the little things, there is no way that you can set a clear vision for yourself or your team. You are supposed to be the leader…so lead!

For example, I used to be in charge of all email marketing, including monthly newsletters, webinar invites, drip campaigns, etc. Now, I have a team that will execute my ideas on what I need accomplished. I now have time to brainstorm more exciting and compelling ideas that fit into our overall strategy.

The truth is that we are all human, and for a lot of us it is hard to let go. However, we can only do so much, so delegation is critical if you want to grow in both your personal life and professional career.  

 

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