Whether you call yourself a business owner or an entrepreneur, we often find ourselves on a roller coaster of emotions and with an endless list of responsibilities. It can and does get overwhelming. Whether it is budgeting, scheduling, hiring, firing—you name it, we’ve all done it. While certain responsibilities are key to maintaining our alertness and are inherent to entrepreneurship, many of them can be better managed. So, what’s the secret to ease the never-ending list of responsibilities?
If your guess was “sell everything and move to Mexico,” I must admit, that sounds tempting. And believe me, I could make a strong case for joining you—who doesn’t like endless mojitos by the pool? But, as appealing as that may be, it’s not the solution we’re discussing here. The real answer is delegation.
How to delegate effectively
Delegation doesn’t just transform your business; it transforms your life, granting you the freedom to savor these moments of joy and success.
Let’s break this down. Assuming you have a team to manage, here are the steps for effective delegation:
1: Identify your strengths and weaknesses
Begin with some self-reflection. What do you love and what are you great at? What tasks make you roll your eyes when you look at your to-do list? Keep doing what you’re great at and start delegating the not-so-great stuff.
2: Train and empower your team
Here’s where you get your team to handle what you throw at them. I’m well aware of the excuses we often come up with—“Training takes time and we don’t have any!” or “They can’t do it like I do!”—but trust me when I say that investing in their skills is like planting a tree. You need to nurture the tree and help it grow. Over time, they will become more independent and you will have more time to do what you love, whether it’s golfing, painting, or finally riding that horse you’ve spent a fortune on but have yet to saddle up this year.
3: Communicate clearly and set expectations
Clarity is king in delegation. Make sure your team knows exactly what’s expected of them. Keep those lines of communication wide open—it’s a two-way street.
4: Monitor progress and provide feedback
Make no mistake, just because you’ve delegated doesn’t mean you’re out of the picture. Keep an eye on how things are going and offer feedback. It’s all about maintaining standards and nipping any issues early.
5: Embrace the learning curve
Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. You and your team will need some time to adjust to this new way of working. Be patient and learn as you go. Delegation is an art, and practice makes perfect.
By embracing delegation, you’re not just getting your life back. You’re also building a team that’s dynamic and capable. Watch as both your business and your life start to transform for the better.
Solopreneurship
As a solopreneur, you face the arduous task of wearing multiple hats. This is where smart delegation, like outsourcing time-consuming tasks with little ROI, comes into play. Think of mundane tasks you might not enjoy—these are prime candidates for delegation.
Consider diving into AI to assist with or even automate these tasks for you. For example, there are many online software products available today that simplify tasks like managing social media content and handling bookkeeping. The key is to keep delegating these smaller tasks, allowing you to concentrate on expanding your business.
Without diving into the complex process of developing core values at this moment, it’s important to keep your core values at the forefront of your mind during the hiring process. If you don’t have your core values lined out, this may be a good time to develop them.
After applying and successfully implementing this skill in your business, it’s time to reward yourself. Go ahead and enjoy that golf trip you’ve been dreaming of, or finally spend some quality time with that expensive horse you’ve been eyeing in the picture frame on your desk. Or, if you’re anything like me, why not indulge in that bottomless mojito by the pool under the warm Mexican sun? And when you do, call me; I’d love to hear your story.