There’s a distinct difference between business owners who create jobs for themselves and those who truly lead their companies. In the first scenario, owners take on daily tasks that could easily be handled by fellow management and team members — tasks taking precious time that could be spent as the visionary, innovator and leader of the company.
If this is your reality, what is it costing you, your team and your customers? In all likelihood, the cost is significantly higher than you might realize. When you’ve merely created a job for yourself, you have less time to be the effective leader of your company and less time for your life. After all, personal freedom is likely one of the reasons you started a business in the first place.
In addition, your team doesn’t have a powerful example to follow — someone who leads with clarity in the direction of greater happiness and success — because you’re too busy fighting fires. Your customers don’t receive the best you and your team have to offer because of the inefficiencies and ineffectiveness.
All of this can be overcome through the process of effective delegation.
Delegation is the art of realizing you can’t do it all. You don’t have to do it all. And your way of doing something isn’t always the most effective approach. Once you realize and accept these facts and there are members of your team capable and willing to do more, you can begin to let go of tasks and projects consuming your time to truly lead.
The bottom line is your company won’t live up to its potential until you, as leader, empower yourself and your team through the art of delegation.
The art of delegation frequently escapes business owners and managers. This, in turn, leads to the unpleasant experiences of stress and feeling overwhelmed that take much of the fun out of owning and running a business. A lack of effective delegation also inhibits the growth and development of team members and, therefore, the business itself.
The primary objection I hear from my business clients is, “They won’t do it the way I do.” That’s correct given they’re not you. But this need not be an obstacle. In fact, once I help clients get over this mental block, they come to see the tremendous power that comes with effective delegation.
Another concern business owners and managers express is those to which they delegate won’t complete tasks or projects correctly. This can be overcome through the development of effective communication and listening. When the person delegating conveys clearly and specifically what needs done, the person receiving the task or project truly listens and both parties confirm their understanding, effective delegation becomes the norm.
Take a step back from your daily tasks and look at your situation openly and honestly. Spend some time writing out all the tasks you handle to gain perspective of your self-created reality. This greater awareness on your part will position you to take action to create a better situation for yourself and your team members.
A powerful step would be to engage the assistance of a qualified coach or consultant. Doing so will help you gain perspective; shorten your learning curve; and get you and your team on the path of effective high-level delegation, superior results and a greater return on investment that much sooner.
Once you begin delegating, you’ll see and experience the benefits rather quickly. Less stress in you and your team members feels good and improves overall job satisfaction. Dramatically lower error rates improve ROI. Team members develop competencies and skills and become more valuable in the smooth and efficient operation of your business.
A crucial step in the direction of greater happiness and success in business is learning to let go and delegate effectively so everyone involved is empowered to do more and be more. As you become a more effective delegator, the positive results will be increasingly obvious. You’ll free yourself to lead, your team will grow more confident and capable and your customers will embrace the excellence of your company.
