DOA – When Being in Control Means Letting Go!
Running a business can be enjoyable and rewarding – but it can also be nerve shredding and exhausting too! We can often find ourselves trying to control everything ourselves. We end up juggling tasks, rushing from A to B and never having enough time to get everything done… so isn’t it about time you learnt to let go?
It’s understandable that want to do everything ourselves after all, it IS our business. But often, we can turn into control freaks who find it impossible to delegate – often due to past experiences or the fear over what may happen if we did.
We worry about finding the right team, but also about running ourselves into the ground. We need to learn how to free up our time, so we can spend it on those tasks we find more enjoyable, fun or even where we are most productive – before we totally wear ourselves out – we need to learn to DOA! That’s Delegate, Outsource and Automate.
Delegate
Make a list of all the tasks you currently do in an average week. Highlight those tasks that you really enjoy and the ones that ONLY you can do (be honest!). Now make a list of those people currently within your team who could take on the other tasks.
Once you decided on who to delegate it to, explain time frames, roles and responsibilities etc. and provide them with the necessary training. Also look to share the importance this role has on your company, clients and them as an individual.
Delegating isn’t just about simply abdicating our responsibilities. It isn’t about freeing up our time by simply dumping those tasks onto other people. It’s about matching tasks to those who have the necessary skill set to complete them, or giving someone else the opportunity to step up to the challenge.
Outsource
It could be that you don’t have anyone suitable in your team. If this is the case, look to outsource the work. Again, find someone who is suitable for the role and take the time to share why this role is important and your desired end results etc. What’s great about outsourcing is you’ll have no long term fixed costs!
Automate
It’s also worth taking time to ascertain whether you can actually automate some jobs. This could be for the simpler processes or, with some additional technical help, you may be able to automate the larger time consuming tasks on your list. The key to successful delegation is in learning to let go. You have to leave the person to get on with the given task – and don’t micro manage it yourself! They will probably make mistakes or do things differently to you, but your role is to give them the opportunity to learn from those mistakes and to grow as a result. Do this and you’ll be giving them the opportunity to grow in confidence and skills – whilst also enabling your business to grow and expand too.
