By Bryan Orr
There’s something desirable about taking on a task and being able to complete it from start to finish without ever having to call upon someone else’s services and/or expertise. Maybe it gives you a sense that you’re Superman or Wonder Woman — you can do it all!
However, sometimes we should look at the task at hand and consider if each step of the process is necessary for us to do independently. Maybe it’s wise and more practical to take some of the steps and let others do them. That way you, as the business, owner can spend more time in your specific area of expertise and less time doing things that others can do.
Let’s dig into when it’s the right time to be a superhero and when it’s the right time to delegate.
In a conversation I had with Owen McGab Enaohwo from SweetProcess, he mentions the importance of analyzing where and how your time as a business owner is being spent. Don’t shy away from writing down your specific tasks. Often as small business owners we get caught up in tasks that could be delegated elsewhere. This may happen because we start out as the sole operator of the entire business, and as we slowly (or quickly) grow, we don’t always see that the tasks we did in the beginning can now be handed off to others.
After writing down a list of your current tasks and getting a better picture of how your time is being spent, you may be surprised by how many menial tasks you are doing. If you’ve got something that can be done by another, put that task in the “delegate” folder so that you can get moving towards building and growing your business!
One of things that we as small business owners may fear the most is this: Losing control. It’s one of the more difficult hurdles to jump when we’re working on projects that aren’t solely in our hands. Because truth be told, things may go awry when you let others in on your project. It is also true that others can add value, expertise and efficiency to your process.
If you have a task that can be done by another, but you’re concerned about it not being done perfectly, consider this; if another team member can do it 70% as well as you, it’s time to pass it off to them. Not only have you freed up your time for a task more suited to your specific expertise, but you’ve given more responsibility to your team member(s) and are helping them grow in three genuinely important areas: Development, Self-Esteem and Job Enhancement.
This is just scraping the surface of how to better grow your business and delegate. By taking these actionable steps will start opening up more opportunity for both you and your team members.
What is one specific task that you can start to delegate today?
