Being able to effectively delegate work to others is a critical skill for an entrepreneur. It can make the difference between success and failure with your business.

Awareness –Start by writing all out the tasks you do with your business in as much detail as possible. Include all the steps in any process. For example, when I wrote this article, I did not format it for publication myself nor did I submit the article for publication. There were a number of steps in the process of getting this article out there beyond writing the article. So as you identify all the critical tasks for yourself, make sure you include the pertinent steps.

What to delegate - Identify what you need to do and what someone else could do without letting yourself get into the “how” yet. Most actions that are repetitive tasks or require special skills are ones you especially want to consider. Right about now, your control tendencies will probably start to show up. Remind yourself that when you delegate you are not giving up control of your business. You will still oversee the work being done be it a contractor or employee.

After you come up with the list of all the work you could have someone else do, then
group the tasks by function. For example, financial, website updating, document preparation, copying, printing, filling orders, etc.

Who to delegate to – There are many sources for finding support for your business. You can probably find inexpensive part time help in your local area. Sometimes, you can even find stay at home moms for example who are skilled in a certain area who are interested in working a few hours a week. You can also find skilled help on the internet by hiring a virtual assistant. Consider that while it may sound attractive to hire someone with no skills to train, you will be spending a lot of energy doing it. Many entrepreneurs find they do well by having tasks delegated to a number of people based on skills. Others find one person who has all the skills you need.

How to delegate – You’ve already come up with a list of what you want the person(s) to do. Verify their ability to complete the tasks regularly. Most importantly, regularly spot check their work. Don’t fall into the trap though of monitoring everything they do. You’re paying them to do the job and spot checking their work will help you keep involved in the process.

Start today – You don’t have to wait until you are overwhelmed before you delegate. In fact, most business owners wait too long and try to do it all themselves. Remind yourself of what you could be doing with your precious time if you paid someone else to do the routine or special skill work for you. You could be devoting your energy to growing your business by marketing more for example. So don’t delay, start delegating today.

©Barbara Didion – Please ask permission to reprint this article.

Barbara Didion
Business & Personal Coach
Entrepreneurs Getting Better Results with Less Work
www.barbaradidion.com
web blog - www.bizuniquelyu.com

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Tags: part time, entrepreneur, success and failure, local area, virtual assistant, home moms, repetitive tasks, tendencies, critical tasks, critical skill