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Inspiration

Delegate like a pro

here comes a time in every growing company's For example, if you want appointments set up for you,
journey when it's appropriate for key execu- pick a person who is superior at interacting with people
tives to delegate certain responsibilities they've by phone, online and in-person. Don't choose the brilliant
T carried entirely on their shoulders. Individuals technical wizard who troubleshoots flawlessly behind the
with prior management experience likely will be eager scenes but is impatient when it comes to interacting with
to delegate when the time is right. Others, such as an the public.
agent running a one-person office, might be more hesi-
tant. Whatever your situation, if you're enjoying healthy Communicate clearly
growth, consider letting go of some responsibilities so you Now, clarify with the person what you expect the outcome
can maximize your upward trend. to be. Using the appointment setting example, state the
number of appointments you want to have set by a specific
The first step is to accept that delegation is not just OK; date. Also, let the person know why this task matters. For
it's imperative—even if you started your company solo instance, in addition to contributing to the company's
from scratch and feel your tight control is integral to your growth, the team member will learn new skills and be
success. better prepared for promotion opportunities that may
Start small arise.

If you're not yet convinced delegation is for you, here are Give clear instructions. If you use a CRM system, make
some reasons to do it. It will keep you from becoming sure the person taking on the job knows how to use it
overwhelmed, as well as make it far more likely you'll and fills in all the required fields. Instructions will vary
achieve your strategic objectives on time and within greatly, depending on the nature of the activity and the
budget. It will enable your staff to learn new things, which skills of the person involved. Some people will need step
can increase employee satisfaction. It will also push your by step guidance; others will need to know only the end
staff to think for themselves, which enhances creativity result desired and due date.
and productivity.
Be available to your new colleague for questions that arise,
If you're still not convinced, start small. Review all the and monitor progress. Some adjustments may be needed,
tasks you handle for your enterprise and what skills and as this will be a training period for both of you. If you've
knowledge are required to complete them. Some will be picked the right person, set forth clear expectations and
things only you can do; others will be ripe for delegation. encouraged open communication, it's likely this will be a
Select just one task that could be done by someone else. positive experience you'll want to repeat.
Pick one that will increase efficiency and free up most of
your time so you can focus on what only you can do.

Next, evaluate your team's strengths (or your applicants'
strengths if you're recruiting someone) and seek a person
whose skills and knowledge are the best fit for the task.
Kate Gillespie, President and CEO
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