We have all gotten to the point in our professional life where we do not have enough time in the day to complete all of our tasks. When you reach the point of rushing your work, or feeling completely overwhelmed, it might be time to think about delegating.
Delegating can be a scary word for some people. People often associate the word with giving up their influence or power and that it’ll require a lot more work than just completing a task yourself. But what most people do not think about are the benefits to delegating out tasks. Not only will you have more time in the day to focus on your more important tasks, but it will also help reduce stress or anxiety associated with an overload of tasks.
Delegating tasks might seem like a quick, easy thing to do in theory, but it actually requires work on your part. If we scared you with the last sentence stick with us, because putting in the work to properly delegate out a task will benefit you greatly in the long run. So, how exactly do you “properly” delegate tasks?
1.Choose the Right Person for the Task
This might seem like a no-brainer but it is one of the most important steps in delegating. Choosing the right person for the task sets up this person for success. If the task you are delegating is management of your social media channels, you wouldn’t pick someone who has never posted before, or has no interest in it. You, instead, would choose someone with some type of social media background with basic knowledge or someone who shows extreme interest and the desire to learn.
2. Share Your “Why”
You care about this task but why should the person you are delegating it to care? Instead of telling someone to do something “because you told them so”, take a more educational approach. You would like them to draft up an email about your upcoming event because you are debuting a new product, and you want as many people to be there as possible. Allowing the person you are delegating the task to in on the background of the task will, in turn, allow them to see the importance in the task.
3. Communicate Clearly
You should never give a task to someone and just walk away. It would be close to impossible for them to know exactly what you want, and they may not even know how to achieve the task. Communicating clearly includes creating training materials, if applicable, providing instructions, and enough face-to-face time to ensure the task is understood.
4. Follow-Up
Even if you knock your training materials and instructions out of the park it is still important to follow-up. While the task might have been initially understood, there is a high possibility that questions or roadblocks will occur down the road. Being available for quick questions, or even another sit down, lets the person who you have delegated the task to know you are there for them.
5. Be Patient
Even if a task seems straightforward to you, it might not be for someone else. Showing empathy and compassion can go a long way in helping build up someone else’s confidence. You need to head into delegating knowing that it will take effort on your part initially, but it will all pay off in the end. If delegated properly the task in the future will be completed in a timely manner and exactly the way you would like it.
6. Give Feedback
After a task is complete have a sit down and talk about the process of completing the task. What do you think went well or poorly? What do they think went well or poorly? This open conversation facilitates the opportunity for both the person delegating and the person receiving the task to grow. This conversation should be more than “it was good” or “it was bad”. This conversation should be more in depth and go into specific examples of what went right or wrong.
7. Give Credit
Nothing shows your employee you genuinely care about them more than giving them credit and recognition for doing a good job. This credit can be given through an intimate face-to-face conversation or at a larger event like a monthly meeting. This praise will motivate them to continue doing good work for you in the future and shows them that you appreciate their work.
While delegating can first seem scary it is mutually beneficial. Not only do you get tasks off your plate that cause you stress or you do not enjoy doing but it helps facilitate positive relationships between you and your employees. Which, in turn, creates a better, more enjoyable work atmosphere.
Have questions? Or do you lack employees to delegate to? Look no further than the experts here at Monkey VA. We can help you with any task, no matter how small.
