Business leaders need to be efficient in how they spend their time. Not only is their time more valuable in terms of pure compensation but it is more valuable in terms of their potential to contribute to broader strategy and execution.
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This means it’s critical for leaders to be able to effectively delegate tasks that don’t require their personal involvement. Unfortunately, many leaders struggle with delegation either because they are uncomfortable letting go of the little things or because they aren’t great at the management aspect of delegation. In an article for Entrepreneur, Anna Johansson offers seven rules for effective delegation.
1. Force Yourself to Delegate
Make a conscious effort to give up some of that control over the day-to-day items that don’t require your direct involvement. It’s a matter of willpower in many ways.
2. Be Proactive
“If you wait until you’re overwhelmed and on the verge of burning out, delegating a few tasks may end up stressing you out—and it may be too little, too late,” says Johansson. Instead, be proactive in identifying areas where you can delegate.
3. Know Your Team’s Strengths and Weaknesses
Delegating tasks that your subordinates aren’t able to tackle effectively is counterproductive. There may be some tasks that you simply cannot delegate to your current team. Focus on those that you can.
4. Invest Time in Teaching
Teaching subordinates can take time. But it’s an investment in the future. A few hours spent today on teaching a subordinate could save days or more of your time down the road.
5. Make Your Expectations Clear
The last thing you want when delegating is to get back results different from what you had intended and expected. “When delegating, be as specific as possible about your expectations,” writes Johansson. “Let your teammate know exactly how you expect the task to be completed, and when you expect it to be done by.”
6. Trust but Verify
You need to have a certain level of trust in your subordinates, obviously. But especially in the early phases of your delegation efforts, it’s okay to check in on their progress to make sure things are being done and being done according to your attention.7. Give and Receive Feedback
If things aren’t being done how you want, let your subordinates know. Similarly, let them know when they are doing a good job. This type of reinforcement will help ensure consistent and favorable results.
Business leaders have seemingly endless responsibilities, many of which are business-critical, meaning that if they aren’t addressed and addressed with as close to full attention and focus as possible, there could be significant consequences to the business.
By learning to delegate effectively, leaders can maintain focus where it’s most needed.