CoachDeclute Blog

How are you feeling? Is life way too busy and are you still in juggling mode? Are you keeping the balls in the air but feeling drained and full of fear that something big is going to slip through the crack. Are you on the road to burnout? Perhaps you have been trying to get back on track but it just isn’t coming together. Your family and several people who work with you have commented on your apparent stress level. You know they speak from a place of concern but it annoys you anyway! You have always been the one everyone turns to and knows they can depend on. What is going on? What important piece are you missing?

Whether you are an entrepreneur or work for a large or small company, it is important to know your limits and develop strategies for success that don’t regularly include 12 and 15 hour days. In planning your time you have to make room for you….for your health, fitness and overall well being, including family and friends.

Often the missing piece is knowing the “ART of DELEGATION”. I sometimes call it the Fine Art of delegation!

Too often we have thoughts such as:

•    It will only get done right if I do it ….
•    By the time I show someone how to do it, I can have it done…..
•    If I’m not needed for that piece I may not be as important…..
•    It will only take another half hour – I’ll stay and get it out of the way

In the start up phase of your own business, you will be doing everything from telephone answering and scheduling to banking to licking the envelopes to figuring out the marketing plan to doing the bookkeeping to client presentations and then of course you have a personal life too. Well yes there is a time and a place. However, if your business venture is worthy of succeeding now may be the time for change. Your energy and time must go to the work that requires your unique brilliance. To the work that will ensure the growth and long term success of your business.

So let’s say you need an assistant who can handle phones, scheduling, banking and bookkeeping. This may be a part-time need at first but the important thing is that you start to hand over some of the stuff that can be handled by a competent assistant. Perhaps a virtual assistant! To find such a person you can check –

•    Your sphere of influence
•    Network with others in your industry who may know a good candidate
•    Go to such websites as www.workopolis.com, or www.kijiji.com or www.elance.com
•    Use a reliable employment agency

Diligently interview and reference check to find the right candidate.
Get them started immediately. This will be the first step and one of many that will follow.

Sometimes it is scary but before long you will understand how important it is that you begin to build the infrastructure that will allow you and your business to grow!

In an employment situation it is different but the same!

•    There are many responsibilities that a subordinate would love the opportunity to learn.
•    By delegating them you would be able to more quickly advance the company projects that require your specific expertise.
•    The success of your business unit and each of your team members is contingent on everyone on the team contributing using their unique abilities.
•    Again it may be scary to give up certain tasks but your next promotion is dependant on having a successor who can easily and competently fill your shoes

There is another part of delegating that is important. Know how to effectively use outside services and consultants rather than hiring staff. In entrepreneurial ventures it is a critical part and certainly the same holds true to varying degrees with small and large companies.

In specialized areas hire by the project or for the hours needed. Areas such as:

•    Website development
•    Financial and business planning
•    Legal assistance
•    Business trends and market analyses
•    Brand and logo development
•    Marketing and advertising plan/execution
•    Social media management
•    Human resource development

And depending on your personal situation you may have the need for assistance in an endless number of areas such as:

•    Child care
•    Shopping
•    Meal preparation
•    Pet care
•    Vacation planning
•    Social planning
•    Home organization
•    Home renovations or redecorating
•    Wardrobe management

In all arenas of life there are opportunities to delegate tasks so that we can do what we do best and love to do. This also allows us to live life authentically with time to enjoy the most important people in our lives and the activities that keep us in harmony.

Start delegating or delegating more today!