If you aren’t sure how to delegate, you might find yourself doing everything yourself and not being able to achieve as much as you want in your workday.
Delegating, or assigning tasks to other people, doesn’t always come naturally to everyone. If you aren’t sure how to delegate, you might find yourself doing everything yourself and not being able to achieve as much as you want in your workday. Fortunately, there are ways you can delegate more effectively so that you are able to get more done in less time. In fact, studies show that delegating can actually save time, rather than cost it. Here’s how to delegate like a pro and achieve more in less time.
Define your goals
My goal is to achieve more in less time by delegating tasks that I don’t enjoy and those that I find difficult. There are many reasons for why this works, but the most important one is motivation. If you have a task that you’re not motivated about or find difficult, then it’s likely someone else would be more passionate about it than you. When you delegate a task, the person who performs it will feel ownership over the project which makes them more committed and invested. In addition, they may have an idea or strategy on how to do it better than you could’ve imagined.
Make a list of tasks
- Create a list of tasks that can be delegated.
- List the pros and cons for delegating each task on the list.
- Assign a grade based on the cons (1 being not as big a deal, 5 being very big).
- Select tasks that have a low grade and assign them to someone else using these steps:
-Ask them if they are willing to take on this task
-Provide an explanation why you feel it will be beneficial for them to take on this task (include details about how it will benefit you too)
-Offer training so they can start doing their job with confidence
Determine which tasks can be delegated
It’s easy to say you want to delegate, but it can be hard deciding which tasks can be delegated. Here are some tips for deciding what you can delegate.
- Determine whether the task is repetitive or not. 2. Ask yourself if the task takes up a lot of your time and energy 3. Consider whether the task is part of your daily routine or not. 4. Think about whether you would rather spend that time doing something else instead 5. Consider how much personal satisfaction you get from doing the task 6. Figure out if someone else can complete the task just as well or better than you 7. Decide how well you work with that person
Choose the right person for the job
Delegating will help you achieve more in less time. It sounds simple, but choosing the right person for the job is a skill all on its own. When choosing a person to delegate work to, start by asking yourself what qualities they’ll need in order to do this job well. Are they experienced? Does their personality match up with the type of work that needs doing? Is there someone on your team who is better suited for this task than you are? There are many questions you’ll want answers to before making your decision. Plus, take into account that some people might not be interested in doing these tasks, so it’s important that you make sure they’re willing and able before taking any steps forward.
Provide clear instructions
Delegating is one of the most important skills for leaders, but it’s also one of the most misunderstood.
Confusion about delegation stems from a lack of understanding about what delegation really is and how it differs from other activities like managing or leading. In order to understand delegation, we need to separate the word into its two roots: de- (meaning to remove) and -lege (meaning authority). Together, they mean removing yourself from a task so that someone else can take care of it for you.
So when should you delegate? There are many factors that can determine if delegation makes sense for your company, but here are some general guidelines I’ve found helpful. First, don’t delegate tasks where only you have the skills required.
Set a deadline
In today’s society, many people are trying to do everything themselves. They often feel like they’re not being productive if they’re not working on a number of different projects at once. This is a mistake. The science says that you should focus on one thing at a time and delegate the rest to other people. In this way, you can get more done in less time and be happier while you do it!
Follow up
Delegation is an important tool to use when you feel like you are drowning. You can’t do everything on your own and it’s okay! Remember, just because something doesn’t seem as important as something else doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing. If delegation is not your strong suit, ask for help or try these tips below:
-Step one: Define the task or project. Be specific about what needs to be done and how much time it will take. Write this down for each task you want delegated.
-Step two: Identify what skills are needed for the task at hand. If a different person can do this more efficiently than you then find them and delegate the work!
