While some business owners and leaders believe that delegating work to others takes too much time and effort, there can be, in fact, an upside to it. An entrepreneur cannot take care of everything themselves, as growing a business and taking care of everyday tasks is time consuming. After all, we all have only 24 hours in a day, and oftentimes, it is simply not possible for a leader to handle everything themselves.
Delegating work to others can feel daunting, as many leaders like to be in control of all tasks at hand. However, delegating can even increase the motivation of your employees and inspire them to be better. Also, a study has shown that by delegating 10% of tasks to others, a business can grow about 20%.
Reza Shojaei, the owner of a successful iGaming business, tells us how you can delegate gracefully, and how you can get the best results out of delegation.
Providing feedback is essential
Providing feedback, both negative and positive, is an essential part of delegation. The employee who completes the task deserves to know how they did, as negative feedback can help them to improve, and positive feedback motivates them. Heartfelt thank-yous and praises encourage them to do even better next time.
At the same time, negative feedback allows them to know where they went wrong and how they can do better next time. This way, your employees will improve next time, and they will appreciate the trust you put on them.
- Constructive feedback is essential when delegating tasks to employees. Our company, Value Marketing, operates on 12 different markets, so we have multiple employees and freelancers. For instance, our online casino New Zealand site has its own team, and delegation within the team can make the site perform better, Shojaei explains.
Monitor things from afar
Before giving a task to an employee, be clear about your instructions and requirements. When they know exactly what to do, you can expect a better result. Also, as a leader, you should monitor things from afar and, if necessary, provide them with advice and help in their task. Though in an ideal situation your employee will not need anyone watching over them, a new or more inexperienced employee might need some help.
- You cannot expect things to be perfect on the first try. Especially, if you have never delegated tasks to anyone. That is alright, and you should keep in mind that there is often a learning curve. It will often not last long, though, so do not be too harsh if the task is not perfect on the first try, Shojaei reminds.
Delegate the right things
When delegating tasks to others, you have to pick the right tasks carefully. Tasks that are specifically assigned to you, or tasks that require the leader to take charge, should stay yours. However, you can delegate, for instance, drafting of emails, scheduling meetings, or taking inventory.
Ensure that you delegate the kind of tasks your employees can handle with confidence. By delegating different tasks, you might even discover some hidden potential in your employees, which you can harness in the future, and it can even give you a reason to make a promotion or offer bonuses for a job (or jobs) well done.
When choosing what to delegate and to whom, it is also important to take the skills and interests of your employees into account. It can be helpful in a long run, and of course, the more skilled an employee is within a certain area, the better they can complete the task.
Have the right attitude towards delegation
For many leaders who like to be in control of things, delegation does not necessarily come easily. In fact, it can even require some getting used to. However, keeping an open mind and a positive attitude will get you far. Also, staying positive and transparent with your employees will certainly make them see you as a better leader, and work harder to help you to meet your goals.
After all, delegation is not about bossing your employees around, but rather about working together as a team and making great things happen.
- A well-functioning team that handles tasks together can accomplish a lot. After all, running a business requires teamwork: no one can do it all alone. A positive attitude and constructive feedback within the team can help the whole business grow. And, in addition, it keeps you and your employees happier and more motivated, Shojaei advises.
In conclusion, it is important to consider a few things when delegating tasks to others. You should take into account your employees’ interests and skills, and provide them with constructive feedback at the end of each task. Keeping a positive attitude is important and is the key to a well-oiled corporate machine.