The Art of Delegation

Many business owners struggle to overcome this mentality: “If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.” Thinking this way is understandable: you built your business up from the ground, and no one knows how to do what you do quite how you do it. However, with success comes growth, and growth means that you will need more help. Here are a few tips that can help you delegate more effectively (and without stressing out!)

1. Dispel fears of mistakes by training your employees
The first thing to remember when you begin to delegate tasks to others is that a little mistake won’t ruin you. You can pretend that you can run your business all on your own, but if you want to see growth and success, you need to let go. Luckily, taking time to train your employees gives them the best chance of completing a task to your standards. If your employees have a clear idea of what you want, they will be more able to achieve it.

2. Trust your employees
You don’t want to be too rigid in your instructions. Give whomever you delegate to a bit of freedom on their assignment. When someone is stuck doing something that they have no say in whatsoever, it can be extremely difficult to stay motivated. It is best to agree with your employee on the general idea for the project, and then let them have some freedom.

3. Know what tasks are not to be delegated
While it can be great to have some of the workload off your plate, remember that there are some jobs that you should handle. These tasks will vary from business to business, but it may be helpful to make a list of everything that your business requires. Then, you can decide which tasks can be passed down, and which are too important to delegate. While dividing tasks into these two categories, you may want to think about the strengths of your individual employees. If you think of their capabilities as a whole, you may look past special skills possessed by individuals.

4. Know when to seek outside help.
Sometimes, tasks that require a depth of knowledge and/or training are more efficiently delegated to outside contractors and/or companies rather than to individual employees. Here at Precise Payroll, for example, we handle many tedious and complex aspects of HR management in order to allow business owners and their employees an easier, more distraction free work life. To learn more about our services, visit us online today!