We all know the saying: “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” And when you have a small business to run carefully, accurately, and wisely, this statement can seem all the more true. Outsourcing seems too risky (or a waste of time and money) because you can do a better job yourself anyway.
Right?
Well, not exactly.
If you want to grow your business but you’re feeling spent day after day, you may benefit from learning how to delegate. Take some advice from the experts.
Jordan Cohen, a productivity expert at PA Consulting Group, says: "At some point, every entrepreneur will hit a point where they can't do any more and do it well." And I think he’s right. In a study for Harvard Business Review, the executives of 39 companies in the US and Europe were spending 41% of their days performing tasks that could be handled by others.
As small business owners, we would benefit our businesses more by delegating tasks so we can focus on the matters that contribute to the success of our businesses. Still, it is fair to question how to find people to assist you and whether or not they will do a good job, represent you well, use your brand correctly, and use your time efficiently. Check out these tips for minimizing the risk, planning ahead, and becoming a better delegator (from entrepreneur.com):
1. Set up resources BEFORE you need them
If you wait until you’re overwhelmed to even start looking for help, you are probably not going to make the wisest decisions while under stress! Instead, do your homework ahead of time by researching and interviewing contractors or consultants that you can trust, and/or training your employees in new areas.
2. Put delegating on your calendar.
As simple as that – put it on your to-do list and do it. Identify tasks that others can do, and make a list, chart, timeline, or calendar appointment (whatever works for you).
3. Test the waters.
Remember the list from step 2? Start with ONE of the items on the list, or something of low importance. Experiment and get comfortable delegating work, knowing that it’s not going to turn out perfect the first time. Once you find out what works, work out a few bugs and start expanding. It gets easier as you go along.
Ready to start delegating more? Let us give you a head start! If you need reliable, affordable bookkeeping or payroll, call us for a free quote. If you need a referral to a company who can assist you with your other tasks, contact us today and we'll be happy to give you names who we recommend.
Happy delegating, and feel free to let us know how it turns out for you!
