Delegation — it’s almost a dirty word for many business owners. After building up up your business from the ground, now you need to put it into someone else’s hand.

Every client relationship is hard won. Each has idiosyncrasies and details that only you know. Your clients rely on you. Symbiotically your business succeeds because they do. Yet, suddenly there is no possible way for you to fit every task into your day no matter how many long nights you put in. It’s either delegate or stagnate.

[bctt tweet=”Delegation can be the hardest change to make as your business grows, but it is one of the most necessary.” username=”YourAlterEgos”] I know this is hard. When it’s just you it seems like there is no need to do this. You know that you need written processes and job descriptions but you don’t have time to create them.

3 Steps for Effective Delegation to Your Team

1. Document what you actually do.

• Block off some time for yourself, or bring in some assistance to help you write out the details of each task you’re currently managing.
  • Benefit: This will give your new team members something to refer to as they build their own skills, limiting the number of times they’ll need to interrupt you.

2. Keep up to date notes in your client files. 

• Make notes so it won’t be forgotten, then be confident in your team to follow through.
• Is there something specific that you do for them that’s different from your other clients?
• Does your client close their office for two weeks each summer?
• What particular details do you know about a client that are important, but not something you need to handle yourself?
  • Benefit: Keeping notes effectively clones you throughout your organization, leaving you with more time to grow your business without worry.

3. Schedule regular progress meetings with your team. Regular interaction with your team is critical to make sure all the details are being handled the way you expect. Make these meetings a time to:

• Check with your assistants,
• Make it a time for gather and discuss questions about tasks
• Brainstorm about something that didn’t work quite right and how to fix it for next time
• Finally, make it a planning session for upcoming events and projects
  • Benefit: These meetings will empower your team to not rely on you for every single decision. Giving them room to use their talents will benefit their morale and your company’s growth. 

Delegation gives you the ability to grow your business faster. The structures you put in place to share your knowledge enables your team to help you succeed. Together you can accomplish so much more than you can alone. Delegation can be your best friend, but only if you allow it.

So, what’s stopping you from taking this necessary last step? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Photo credit: Copyright: olechowski / 123RF Stock Photo