Do you feel stressed and overloaded? If so, then maybe you need to improve the confidence you have in your delegation skills.
Being able to delegate is a skill we all need to hone to make us effective. But delegating isn’t always easy. Once you’ve set your anxieties and ego aside and made the decision that it is ok to ask for help, and you have decided what to delegate. Then you need to make sure you delegate effectively, to make it a success.
If you are ready to improve your delegation skills, here are some tips to help you.
Tip #1: Identify the best person for the task.
Don’t hand over projects to the first person that comes along. Carefully consider who’s right for the job – not just the person who is available.
Not only will choosing the right person for the job allow you to relax when delegating, but it will ensure that the task is carried out to the highest standard – giving you more confidence to delegate in the future. Ideally try to find someone you can trust to do a better job than you can do yourself.
Tip #2: Be aware of your success criteria.
Clarify what it looks like when it’s done and done well in your own mind. Think about delegating the objective, not necessarily the procedure. This way you shouldn’t be tempted to micro-manage. You will need to set clear standards for what kind of results you’re looking for, so the person will know how to measure success. It’s best to be clear on expectations so the person you are delegating to knows what to focus on.
Tip #3: Give clear instructions.
You need to provide the person you’re delegating to with all of the information they need to carry out the job, including what the task is, why they are doing it, what the desired outcomes are, and the deadline for completion.
You may want to set a little time aside to train your delegate how to do the task. Consider the time you spend training a delegate a long-term investment. If they get it right you will save time in the future.
Depending on the task, you may even want to show the person exactly how you do it, but sometimes you can just tell them that they can do it any way they want, as long as it’s done well, meets the objective and it’s completed on time (see tip 2 above).
Tip #4: Ensure they’ve got the resources they need.
Ensure the person you’re passing work to has all of the resources they need to carry out the job. It’s important to check they’re ready and prepared to carry out the job efficiently, and make a success of it.
You may have specific resources that are necessary to complete the task, ensure the person given the task can access them e.g. password protected data, specialised equipment or tools.
Tip #5: Allow people to make mistakes.
With any new experience, there comes a learning curve, so allow people to make mistakes and learn from them. It’s part of the learning process. Plan for it. Don’t delegate a task assuming the person will execute it perfectly the first time.
If you delegate following these tips, hopefully you will build the confidence in knowing what to delegate, how to select the right person to delegate to, and be able to make more time for yourself to get on with other tasks in your business or life that are important to you.
If I can help you with any tasks you are looking to delegate, please do get in touch.