4 Tips To Maximize Your Team Delegation

The goal was to hire a team to take some of the many tasks off your plate and let you breathe a little easier - so why does it feel like the opposite?

You might think you’re alone, but you are definitely not!  Every business owner I talk to has a similar story.  The reality is that simply hiring someone to help out in your business doesn’t actually take the weight of those tasks off your shoulders. 

There is a big difference in simply hiring a person or team and expecting everything to be hunky dory, and participating the steps on your side to delegate to that team effectively; the latter involves systems, open communication, and LOTS and LOTS of planning.

So how can you ensure that you’re maximizing your team delegation NOW, so that you’re not creating more work for yourself or your team LATER?  Well here you go, on a silver platter - my 4 tips to effectively delegate to your team.

Create SOPs

I know sometimes SOPs seem like a pain in the you-know-what, but the reality is they will absolutely save you and your new hires, time and an epic amount of frustration.  

Creating clear, thorough SOPs before you even think about delegating anything is key.  They set clear guidelines for your team members on specific tasks within your business that should be completed and what steps should be taken throughout the process - saving you the time taken to give directions each time.

Plan Ahead

I get asked all the time, “what is the best way to meet deadlines?”  It’s not a secret.  Setting them early in the process and making your team aware of them with plenty of time before the tasks are due is paramount.  

This allows your team to complete tasks thoroughly and in a timely manner, while still allowing time for revisions or amendments to the project timeline.  Make upcoming tasks and projects an item on your agenda to ensure you’re ahead of the planning game.

Provide Guidance

While having SOPs in place is vital, it’s still important to check in and provide your team with guidance and feedback throughout the project.  This ensures everything is running smoothly.  

If you wait until the last step of a project to let your team know that a revision was needed in step 2, you are setting everyone up for failure.

Avoid Micromanaging

There is a big difference between being an active and involved business owner and micromanaging your team.  Avoid being too involved with the tasks that you’ve delegated to your team.  You are adding unnecessary pressure and taking up a lot of your time and the time of your team (which, remember, you pay for).

Remember, you hired your team for a reason.  Trust in their abilities to complete the project at hand.  This helps build an accountable and capable team working environment - making both them and you happier in the long run.