Does the idea of delegating responsibilities send you into panic mode?

It’s understandable.

Most small business leaders unconsciously sabotage themselves by thinking no one else can do the job better than them.

Unfortunately, this isn’t a sustainable practice if you’re running a small business. It impedes growth. 

You need to learn to free yourself up so you can make the best use of your time.

Therefore, delegation is critical to small business growth and effective business operations. But wait, what is delegation anyway?

What is delegation?

Inc.com defines the term as:

“…the practice of turning over work-related tasks and or authority to employees or subordinates.”

The Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of delegation -“the act of empowering to act for another” - highlights a key aspect that’s necessary for successful delegation. This is, the need to provide clear directives, step aside and allow employees to get the job done without you micromanaging them.

Why You Need to be Delegating Certain Business Operations

There is a psychological price to pay to be an entrepreneur which manifests itself in the form of worry and stress.

The price has been compounded by the coronavirus pandemic which affected thousands of small business owners.

According to Gallup, stress levels were up as follows:

Maintaining a hands-on approach and having your fingers in every business department will only exacerbate your stress.

Let go.

You need to be at the helm of the ship, not in the engine room. Stop doing tasks you can assign to others.

How to develop employees through effective delegation

So what are some best practices for delegating tasks in your small business? Here are five key principles to follow:

·     Hire the right person to do the job (or choose the person with the appropriate skillset from your current team)

·       Explain clearly why you’re assigning them this task

·       Give them detailed instructions on what to do

·       Trust them and let them get on with the task

·       Create time for feedback

This now brings us to five small business operations you should be delegating to others. 

5 Business Operations to Entrust to Others

This list is by no means exhaustive but simply presents you with the most common business operation areas you need to take a step back from.

1. Marketing Campaigns

You can’t do the market research, make calls, qualify leads, and still do everything else that’s on your plate to do. You’re going to need salespeople to handle marketing, sales, and networking initiatives. 

2. Bookkeeping

Leaving tax and financial issues to the last minute is costly. Hire a bookkeeper, even a freelancer to help you stay on top of your small business financial operations.

3. Appointments and Event Scheduling

Are you still booking your own flights, sorting out your diary, and scheduling appointments? It might be time to get a virtual assistant to handle this side of your business life.

4. Administration

Listen, you don’t have time for data entry or file organization anymore. These tasks, while important, don't make the best use of your time or energy as a small business owner.

5. Social Media

Are you still handling your company’s Twitter account? Responding to every DM on Instagram and Facebook? It’s time to hand over your social media accounts to qualified social media managers.

The Bottom Line

Delegation may appear to be too costly at the onset in both time and effort.

However, if you’re determined to grow your small business operations as efficiently as possible then you need to master the art of delegating like a seasoned leader.