(Time to read this Blog article is about 60 seconds)
A Biz Coaching client said to me recently, when explaining why he didn’t delegate to his team, “I can do it myself in less time than it would take to explain it to someone else…and if I do it, it will be done the way I want it.” But the simple truth is that you can’t grow your business, or your life, without growing your people.
Ironically, the reason that this business owner asked for my help was that his business had ‘stalled’ with no sales growth, high staff turnover and declining profitability over the past few years. He was also tired of working 60-hour weeks.
He didn’t much like being told that he was the problem…but I get paid to tell clients what they need to hear, not what they want to hear.
“Yes” there are lots of tasks in your business that you can do faster than one of your employees. And when your kids were young, you could wash your car far faster without their help than with it. But they’d never learn to wash a car and you’d never have that quality time with them that builds relationships and engagement. And when they learn to wash the car, you can delegate that task to them and the opportunity to develop their skills, have pride in their added responsibility and earn some extra money. It’s no different at work.
Take a few minutes, right now, to make a list of tasks that you can and should delegate to someone on your team, or to an outside service provider. While you’re at it, make a list of important business-building tasks that you’re actually being paid to do that you’re not doing because ‘you don’t have time’.
For each task that you will delegate, commit to coaching and supporting the person to whom you’re delegating. To help you with this, click here to download my free Biz Tool on, “How to delegate, get more done and grow your people…without losing control.”
