Delegate to grow

If you can't delegate you'll never grow your business past the point where you are working as hard as you can.

- Most business need more staff as they grow. Delegation is an essential technique for successfully distributing the tasks that you perform currently to these new staff

- One day your business will have to run (and continue to grow) without you. Even if this day is not in your plans yet, a resilient well-run business cannot rely upon one person

- Development and growth are great motivators for most people – so you should be actively seeking to increase the responsibility you give to your staff

- Your objective should be to delegate everything you do

How do you delegate successfully?

- Classify your staff to assess their readiness for delegation – plot knowledge & ability against attitude, decide who is ready now and what needs to be done to ready the others

- Evaluate what you could or should delegate – and start with the assumption that everything could be delegated if you really wanted to

- From the above two points identify who could do what

- When you have chosen someone, clarify what the value proposition is from both sides – what would you gain and what would they gain. Why would they want to do it?

- Clarify expectations

o Timescale

o Definition of success

o Level and limits of authority and responsibility

- Give them time to come up with their own plan to achieve this – and then agree it together

- Communicate the change and the reasons to all staff (and externally as necessary)

- If necessary provide time management or other training

- Once you have delegated, plan and carry-out regular reviews

o Provide guidance so they stay on track

o Share your experience

o Give praise and feedback – make sure they are learning

o DON’T take it back at the first sign of trouble

When not to delegate:

- When you don’t understand the problem

- When it’s too late

- Key tasks that amount to “ownership”, such as setting strategy, values and culture

What stops you delegating?

- Fear

- Lack of trust in others

- Insecurity about your own role, capabilities and knowledge

It’s about LEADERSHIP.


This seminar "The Owners' Trap" will give you techniques for effective delegation - as well as the other steps you need to take to take your business on to the next level..

Learn how to raise your game by visiting my website.