Delegation is an essential skill for effective leadership, allowing you to distribute tasks and responsibilities to team members and achieve your goals more efficiently. However, many people struggle with delegation, either because they don't want to relinquish control or because they don't know how to delegate effectively.
Whether you are a manager looking to delegate more effectively or an individual contributor seeking to improve your delegation skills, we asked entrepreneurs to share the delegation tips that help them become more efficient and effective leaders, and here are the responses:
#1- We have checkpoints while using collaboration tools
Delegating tasks to employees is challenging without collaboration tools. We use Airtable and Asana to create checkpoints and delegate tasks among team members. Creating checkpoints is easy with these tools, and my employees can update their status, whether they're available or not. All members of the team can also see the project progress and when it's finished. These tools have collaboration features, which help in delegating projects efficiently while maintaining a good communication flow with employees.
Thanks to Andre Oentoro, Breadnbeyond!
#2- Build a strong foundation
We outsourced the operations to a team of VAs, and at first, I was a little hesitant. But once I learned to trust my team and found the right balance between guidance and autonomy, delegation became our biggest strength. My best tip for successful delegation is to build a strong foundation with clear communication, expectations, and processes in place. This sets the tone for a well-organized system that allows for smooth delegation and ensures quality results every time. Delegation is about passing off tasks and empowering your team and yourself to focus on essential tasks.
Thanks to David Zhang, Kate Backdrop!
#3- Taking the help of an automation tool
As part of my role, I need to check in with new, existing, and potential clients on a daily basis. This is a mammoth task when you consider how many people we have worked with over 15 years. In the last year, I finally managed to use the Monday.com tool as a means of automating that outreach. The platform automatically sends me a reminder every few months with the email address and a body of text to use based on the individual client. Now, not only do I save a huge amount of time, but nobody gets missed, making it a hugely effective and efficient process.
Thanks to Ryan Stone, Lambda Films!
#4- By giving tasks that match employee's strengths
Empower team members by matching tasks with their strengths and interests. This approach not only boosts efficiency but also enhances job satisfaction. I've found that giving clear outcomes and trusting the team to find their best path to achieve them encourages innovation and ownership. This method has not only streamlined our operations but also fostered a culture of trust and accountability, crucial for scaling our e-commerce fulfillment solutions. By focusing on what each team member does best, we've been able to tackle more challenges and seize more opportunities.
Thanks to Ben Pu, ShipSage!
#5- Empower team members
Rather than dictating precise procedures, my greatest delegation advice is to empower team members by assigning them assignments with defined goals. This method promotes initiative and creativity, enabling people to take responsibility for their work and come up with novel solutions. By concentrating on the goals rather than the method of accomplishing them, you foster a culture of trust and make staff members feel appreciated for their ideas and contributions. It cultivates a culture of trust and respect, motivating team members to tackle challenges and advance in their roles.
Thanks to John VanDerLaan, Deer Hunting Guide!
#6- Focus on communication
My best delegation tip is to focus on communication: specifically, ensuring that the ‘why' behind each task or project is fully understood. This strategy goes above and beyond simply assigning tasks to team members; it also requires explaining the significance and context of their work and tying it in with the organization's overarching goals. This tactic has greatly aided in our overall development and success by streamlining our procedures and fostering an environment of accountability and shared vision.
Thanks to Marin Cristian-Ovidiu, Online Games!
#7- Keeping it simple and flexible
I've found a solid delegation strategy: keep it simple and flexible. When we're tackling big goals, like piloting a platform for our offshore hiring services, it can feel like we're staring up at a mountain. But here's the trick—we break it down into smaller, manageable tasks. We chop those objectives into bite-sized pieces that our small team of VAs can tackle with ease. By divvying up responsibilities, we make it crystal clear who's in charge of what. This streamlines the process and makes it easier to pivot when needed. We're all about keeping things straightforward and adjusting as needed.
Thanks to Kingsong Chen, Far Out Scout!
#8- Making use of a checklist or a digital tool
Make use of a checklist or a digital tool for the sake of keeping everything neat and clean with the same spirit. For instance, it could mean you can employ a virtual assistant to have a nice friend to handle the more difficult tasks with you. Periodically change the duties to give the members of your team a chance to try different roles. Just divide all the responsibilities like the way you do during a group shopping trip. However, this practical approach makes the transfer of power processes smoother, and as well as it allows the administration of task lists to achieve goals and accomplishments.
Thanks to Dennis Sanders, Burning Daily!
#9- Trusting in your team and processes
You can focus on the tasks that actually require your attention, as well as make the most of your team’s knowledge, skills, and experience. My best advice is to start putting trust in your staff and processes. Delegate tasks that don’t require your expertise and check in on how they’re going. If all is well, you may be able to delegate more work to your team. If there are issues, make sure you’re developing standard practices, processes, and procedures to help guide your staff on common tasks without requiring you to be directly involved.
Thanks to Thomas Samuels, Cardinal Expo!
#10- Blend of selection, training and feedback
Effective delegation is all about three things. First, it's about choosing the right person for the task – someone who has the right skills and aptitude, even if you may be pushing them out of their comfort zone and challenging them to learn something new. Next, it's about training – showing them how you want the task to be performed, or what you want the end result to look like. And third, and finally, it's about giving feedback on how the task was done. Feedback is hugely important not only for motivating your team members but also for maintaining standards.
Thanks to Marianne Page, Marianne Page Ltd.!
#11- Set realistic deadlines
Setting realistic deadlines and milestones to track the progress and ensure the task will be completed on time and that the person assigned to the task is capable of completing it, providing resources and support, and showing recognition and appreciation for the team members’ efforts and achievements in completing the task. Employees like to feel part of a team and valued, so it’s important to show gratitude when a task is completed. Providing feedback can show employees you are reviewing their work and are invested in their future success.
Thanks to Mitch Chailland, Canal HR!