If you’re like most leaders, chances are you experienced challenges with delegating tasks to your team in the beginning. Perhaps you still find it difficult to delegate. Many of us tend to be of the mind that ‘if you want it done right, it’s best to do it yourself.’
However, there’s a problem with this line of thought. For one, it can quickly lead to mental, emotional, and physical burnout. When we’re piling everything onto our plate, we’re exhausting our personal resources and putting far too much pressure on ourselves. This prevents us from being able to fully show up for those parts of our work that are a bigger priority. Additionally, the inability to delegate causes leaders to spread themselves too thin, which can too often lead to poor work performance in other areas.
As a leader, it’s essential to learn how to delegate so that you can free yourself up to do the work you most excel at. Not sure how to get started? Here are 3 areas where you can begin delegating tasks today:
Administrative Tasks
Look on any job board these days, and you’ll see a boost in the number of listings for administrative assistants. And it’s no wonder. Recent estimates say that we check our emails 2-3 hours every work day. That comes out to 10-15 hours a week! Imagine how much more you could get done if you recaptured those hours.
That’s where administrative assistants come in. Whether your assistant is on-site or virtual, they can take any number of tasks off your plate: organising files, preparing documents, scheduling appointments, checking and responding to emails, making and receiving phone calls…the list goes on. With these tedious but time-consuming tasks finally off your schedule, you’ll be able to devote your time, energy, and focus to the projects you’re most passionate about.
Digital Marketing
In our last blog, we discussed the importance of maintaining an online presence for your company. The reason many companies falter in this area, though, is because they simply don’t have the extra hours to maintain a website, post to social media, and stay engaged with an online audience. However, digital marketing is one of the most important tools companies have in the digital age when it comes to brand awareness.
Instead of letting your online presence gather dust, why not onboard a digital marketing specialist. Not only will you add more hours to your schedule by doing so, but you’ll also have the confidence of knowing you’re entrusting your digital marketing strategies to an expert who can optimise your online presence and most likely give you a better return on your investment than if you went at it yourself.
IT
If your company isn’t large enough to have its own dedicated IT department, chances are you’ve probably just maintained a basic set up when it comes to all things technology in your workplace. But would you know how to boost your workplace’s IT efficiency if you needed to? Do you have a response plan in the event that a data breach happens against your company? Do you understand all there is to know about clouds, firewalls, CRM systems, and CMS software?
IT efficiency is becoming increasingly important to effective business operations, which is why this should be one area where you don’t miss the mark. Unless your staff is expertly trained, chances are they won’t be able to solve every IT crisis that arises in the workplace. If your company isn’t able to hire full-time IT staff, the next best option is to delegate your IT tasks to professional outsourcing providers. This has gained increasing popularity in recent years, with more and more companies hiring off-site support to tend to their IT needs, allowing you and your team to focus on what you do best.
Most of us are accustomed to taking on every task that falls within our skillset. However, when you learn how to delegate, you’ll free yourself up to better manage your employees and accomplish business goals that would otherwise take a back seat in your day-to-day routine. Which of the three areas above are you already delegating? Which will you start delegating this week?