A Business Owner’s Guide to Delegating

Delegation is the key to owning your time as a business owner. Most times business owners have too much on their plate, which causes their time to become extremely limited, and, sometimes, projects take longer than needed. If this sounds anything like you, there is hope! Everyone’s time is limited, but your time is most valuable because you are the expert. There are some responsibilities that can be delegated to other individuals in order for you to maximize your time and alleviate some of the stress associated with running a business.

When delegating projects, tasks, assignments, social media or blogging or other areas of your business, it is EXTREMELY important that you chose an individual who understands your business and has your business’ best interest at heart. If the individual does not clearly understand your business, you may find the work to be sub-par. For example, if you have someone managing your social media, you may find the information they display on those websites are not in alignment with your company and can lead to a poor company image.

So, how do you avoid creating more problems like this when delegating projects in your business? Here are some delegating tips: 

1)     Make a communications plan:

The best way to avoid any problems and to provide clarity to those who will be doing the work, a communications plan can set out what you want done and when. It will be their “go to” for directions while they are working. The plan should set out what your company’s mission statement is, which social media platforms your company is using and what you want posted on those sites, and the specifics of the various blog articles you want written.

2)     Give them as much information as possible:

The individual you have chosen to delegate work to should know as much about your business as possible. The more they understand and are aware of, the more their work can benefit your company. Giving them this information eliminates confusion and helps the worker understand what is expected of them.

3)     Make sure they know your company’s specific brand voice:

If you have someone writing for you, the voice they use can either benefit or damage your brand. Make sure your brand voice is consistent across all platforms and that the tone they are using fits with your company’s goals and image.

4)     Set check-in phone calls:

Although tasks may be delegated, you are still the overseer of all work. Your name is tied to your company and you want to make sure that the work is sufficient. By checking in with the worker who you have delegated work to, you can make sure that they are staying on track and can update them on tasks you want completed. This form of team management also provides a certain level of accountability that your workers may need to stay on target, consistent, and on time.

Although you may be hesitant about delegating such tasks, the amount of time you save will benefit you and your company in many ways. Alleviate some of your stress by giving some of your workload to a trusted employee. Once you do, you can focus on other parts of the business that may need more of your time.

-Jamie

(Image credit: www.clker.com)