Delegate

“The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.” Theodore Roosevelt

If you want something done right, you do it yourself, right? Wrong. A great leader knows how to delegate so that [s]he can actually run the business instead of getting absorbed into minutiae. Trying to run every part of a business results in a skewed work-life balance, creates an environment of distrust among employees, and deprives your people of the opportunity to shine. It also inhibits the growth of the business. One person can only work a finite amount of hours. It’s simply not scalable. Great leaders let go, delegate and inspire those around them.

Delegating frees you up to not only tackle the really important aspects of your business, but allows you to focus on what you do best. Delegating exponentially increases your effectiveness. It allows you to use your time and talents where they make a difference. Perhaps you’re a great salesman, charismatic marketer, or an ace at logistics. Which of your strengths can provide the greatest revenue to your business? In certain instances, acknowledge that someone other than you can be at least as effective at a particular task. Find the person you trust in that capacity, hire them, train them, and empower them. Besides streamlining your work, delegating teaches you to communicate, supervise, and expand your realm of influence.

The challenge many leaders face is the inability to relinquish control. The belief is that no one else can be trusted to do the job as well as they can do it themselves. Not only can you not be the best at every task, you significantly inhibit your ability to grow your business. Instead of allocating your time to all these tasks, devote some of that time to the hiring and training the right people. You need to be able to delegate work to people you have confidence in. Allow them the opportunity to form the necessary habits needed to fulfill the tasks you assign to them. Monitor their work until you are comfortable with it. Then add an extra 30 days to ensure the habit is established. Finally, hold them accountable for the outcome.

Outsourcing is another form of delegation. Think about your lower yielding tasks. Payroll is one of those areas that can be time consuming and costly if you don’t do it right. Companies like ADP and Paychex have it down to a science. For most businesses, it’s actually easier and less expensive to outsource payroll.

Delegating and outsourcing allow you the opportunity to focus on your strengths. Good business people know they can’t do everything themselves. They understand their strengths and prioritize their tasks so that they are able to focus on the highest and best use of their time. The most critical resource in your business is you. Seek to perform only those tasks that justify the investment of your time.

For this week, find at least one task that you can delegate or outsource. Identify the best person or vendor to handle it for you and empower them to get it done.

Let me know how it goes and as always, if you know someone that can benefit from this advice, please like it and send it along.