Do great things, make an impact; delegate …

Have you ever asked yourself the question: why do so many business owners and managers fail at successful delegation? Have you fallen into that trap yourself?

Learn successful delegation by following my top 10 steps!

copyright: 4p business development

All too often managers struggle to let go of client work or basic tasks and successfully delegate it to their staff.

While on the surface it may appear to be easier to do it yourself than to take the time to explain what you require together with the expected outcomes to someone else, there are two fundamental reasons why, in the longer term, it is better to delegate.

  1. It is probable that your skills are better deployed developing the business strategy and leading the business. By carrying out the task yourself, you’re failing to make the best use of your time.

  2. By involving other people in the tasks, you will be developing those people’s skills and abilities so that the next time a similar task is required, you will be able to delegate with a degree of confidence.

Are you limiting your success by failing to master the art of delegation? Are you taking care of the high-value work that only you can do such as:

  • Defining your business goals and positioning,

  • Networking and meeting with prospective referral partners and collaborators,

  • Negotiating the next highly profitable deal,

  • Public speaking on behalf of your business and raising the profile,

  • Defining your long-term business strategy.

Ideally, you should then be delegating all the other tasks, apart from a few carefully chosen activities that you find especially rewarding in other ways.

For successful delegation, you should be considering my top 10 steps, before, and during, every delegation process. You should then find that you delegate more effectively and successfully, providing you with more time to dedicate to working on the business.

Here they are:

  1. Define the task, spelling out exactly what it is that needs to be done.

  2. Select the correct person to carry out the job, someone with passion and is willing to take on such tasks.

  3. Assess the skills and attributes of the chosen individual and ascertain if any training is required.

  4. Clearly articulate the desired outcome; begin with the end in mind and specify the desired results.

  5. Identify boundaries and be explicit as to the lines of authority, responsibility and accountability.

  6. Be sure to match the level of responsibility with the level of authority. You will need to understand that you can delegate some responsibility, however, you can’t delegate the ultimate accountability.

  7. Ensure that adequate support is provided at all times and be available to answer questions.

  8. Agree and set the timescales and any constraints.

  9. Facilitate trust and focus on results. It is important for you to remember that your way is not necessarily the only or even the best way. Allow the person to control his or her own methods and processes.

  10. Build motivation and commitment. Enable the individual to identify future opportunities, and enable recognition where deserved.

Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don’t interfere as long as the policies that you’ve decided upon are being carried out with the desired outcomes.

 

“Delegate, empower your team, increase productivity and get things done right!”

 

To learn more about successful delegation and how to empower your team, call me on 01280 700405 or click here to ping me an email and let’s see how I can help you.

Until next time …

KATH BONNER-DUNHAM

 

PS:

If you’re looking for a partner to help grow your business, visit www.4pbusinessdevelopment.co.uk to discover how 4P Business Development can help you!