subject: Delegationits Not Just A Group Of Representatives [print this page] At one time or another, weve all heard someone say that delegation is a major key to running any business. But its something you might not be accustomed to when you first become a business owner.
So what does it mean, and why is it so important? Simply put, delegation is the transfer of an obligation from one person to another. In the case of a business owner, it can be the assignment of a specific one-time task, or a recurring responsibility, to one of their employees. If done correctly, this will benefit your business in many ways, both in the present and the future.
Lets start by discussing why business owners sometimes shy away from delegation. When you ask a business owner why they dont delegate more, a common answer you might get is why should I pay someone to do something I can do myself? But the better question to any business owner is why should you spend your valuable time doing tasks that one of your employees is able to do?
Time is money, as they say, and the owners time is the most valuable. So use it efficiently. Spend it marketing your business, or creating new ways to motivate your employees. You wouldnt see the owner of a major construction company out on a job site with a hammer and nails, would you?
Another reason that owners dont delegate is because theres sometimes a lot of upfront effort required. You already know the task like the back of your hand, so why spend the time to teach it to an employee? Think of it as a small investment that will pay off quickly. Then youll be getting gains on it for years to come.
As a business owner, proper delegation will help reduce your stress levels. But thats far from the only benefit. It will also open up more of your time to worry about the big picture, as opposed to micromanaging every little task. Think of yourself as the driver of the car, not as each of the individual parts. Its the owners job to pick the speed, and steer the company correctly.
Delegation is also a necessary component to growing your business. It will help motivate your employees, while at the same time teaching them new skills. This will result in the creation of a solid foundation for your business to grow on.
But dont mistake all delegation for good delegation. While its an effective and necessary component to building a business, delegation still must be done right. This is where a skilled small business coach can really help a lot. Theyll teach you all the dos and donts of this ever-important management skill, along with many other skills that you will need along your journey to success. This small business coach will be like a more experienced partner who you can trust, only you dont have to give up a percentage of your business. When you delegate to them, they can greatly increase your chances of creating a growing business that gives you both the money and freedom you crave.
So remember, efficient and effective delegation is a great way to become an independent executive.
