How Delegation Can Grow Your Business

Ahh, delegation. It’s bittersweet – it provides us with more free time, but perhaps… provides us with more grey hairs ;)

Delegation is one of the most important things you can do to grow your organization. Not only does it allow for more work to happen in your organization (which leads to more profits), it also allows you to identify your strengths and weaknesses, and ensure that you are completing the tasks you are best at (and leaving the ones that you’re not great at to someone else).

If you take a look at your to-do list right now, what do you see?

Most likely, you might see things that you did quite quickly after adding them to your list – and, you might also see things that have been on your to-do list for a long period of time.

Generally, the tasks that are accomplished quickly and with ease are your strengths (or, what you like to do). The tasks that have been on your to-do list for a long time are typically your weaknesses (or what you don’t like to do). Psst…doing these things can often deflate you, and take away your energy.

So, let’s do an exercise together and split your list up into what you might do, and what you could ask someone else to do.

First, we need to find the right seats. What’s on your to-do list regularly, and what are the skills required to complete those to-do’s?

Next, we need to identify the right people. You need to identify who in your organization can help with the tasks on your list on a regular basis. Is there anyone with the skills mentioned in the “right seats” section? Or, do you need to hire someone?

Lastly, we need to assign the right things. Once you’ve identified the tasks, and found the right people, you’ll need to provide the right training. Ensure you’re setting them up for success and giving them the best chance to do their job with ease and accuracy.

After you’ve gone through this exercise, take a look at your to-do list again and see if you can find people to take those “long” to-do’s off your list (i.e. the ones you don’t like, or you’re not good at), while you take care of the quick to-do’s (i.e. the ones you like, or you’re good at). Not only will this help you accomplish more, but it will help your business grow.

For some people, delegation can be difficult. But, once you identify your strengths and weaknesses, you’ll find that delegation can be one of your greatest tools.

Need help identifying your delegation list? I’d love to help.

- Coach Casey