As a creative entrepreneur, it can be challenging to learn to let go of certain parts of your business. As a Fusion Creative, I still find myself struggling from time to time with asking for and receiving help. BUT, without delegation, you will struggle to see growth.
Delegation isn’t just telling other people to do things on your behalf when you feel overwhelmed - it’s also about giving someone the authority they need to do the task and then managing them accordingly to ensure success. If you're familiar with Mike Michalowicz's book, Clockwork: Design your business to run itself, you've heard this before. You don't just assign a task, you delegate the outcome.
If you’re new to the practice of delegation and want to know how to do it the right way, here are some things that may help you.
Delegation isn’t just telling other people to do things on your behalf when you feel overwhelmed - it’s also about giving someone the authority they need to do the task and then managing them accordingly to ensure success. If you're familiar with Mike Michalowicz's book, Clockwork: Design your business to run itself, you've heard this before. You don't just assign a task, you delegate the outcome.
If you’re new to the practice of delegation and want to know how to do it the right way, here are some things that may help you.
Delegating doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to give up all of the things that you currently do for your business. If you are particularly good at something, then it can be beneficial to lean into your strength and start delegating your areas of weakness.
Start with the "low-risk" tasks - things that won't cause the business to fall apart if something goes wonky. As time goes on, and your trust level grows with your delegatee, you'll be able to pass off more complicated tasks.
Many entrepreneurs believe that they need to have in-house staff to which they can delegate, but you've got options! Outsourcing and automation are also forms of delegation and can help you streamline your operations and grow your business during times when you can't afford to hire in-house. Tools like Convertkit and Mailchimp automate your email. Zapier can automate a bunch of things, and you can also hire VAs or even outside contractors to help. For example, suppose you’re trying to source a product from China (or have it made there). In that case, you might look to a company like leelinesourcing or Alibaba - experts in that particular field. Just be sure to check out this helpful how-to guide from Forbes first!
Picking the right person for the job doesn’t automatically mean picking a person who can already do it. There are times when training someone to do it makes sense. If you're hiring a person to fill a specific role in your company, but they're short on one or two skills for that role, training them not only increases their value to the company, it also frees YOU up from having to do it anymore!
Think about it this way... is there someone already in our company who:
If you've already got someone that fits that description, then it might be a better choice to train instead of hire.
You must provide your candidate with a project brief or a process document if you expect them to effectively complete the task you have delegated to them. Successful delegators explain not only the steps to take (if it's a repetitive task), but also the result they are looking for (in detail), including how the project fits into the bigger picture of the company. You also need to provide a clear definition of what success looks like and how you will measure it during the project and at completion.
Delegation doesn’t end when you give your brief. You also need to establish project milestones to check progress effectively. When you first start to delegate, it can be tempting to micromanage individuals. Establishing checkpoints will help prevent you from micromanaging, allowing you to get on with your work. It also helps keep your delegate stay focused without unnecessary interruptions from you! Milestones help you know if a project is on track for completion and doesn't leave you "holding the bag" at the project due date having nothing done.
Delegating is an extremely useful skill to learn. It helps you manage your resources, build a team where delegation is embedded in the culture, and grow an efficient and effective team around you. Want more help? Check out the Creative Freedom Apprenticeship, which is now included in the Level One Incubator!