Through the years, this column has emphasized the imperative for entrepreneurs to delegate certain tasks and responsibilities to others. Delegation helps innovators avoid becoming mired in routine tasks and frees up time for them to do those things only they can do. And as an enterprise grows, it also provides camaraderie and relief as areas of the business are turned over to trusted colleagues for strategic planning and management.
If you are feeling overloaded from time to time, you might need to examine your delegation practices and push yourself to let go of some functions currently in your areas of responsibility. And you can find perspectives on how and why to do that in our archives, which not only contain Inspiration articles, but also articles contributed by industry experts that can motivate you to make needed changes.
Here are excerpts sharing insights on this topic:
"There is simply not enough time in each day for the owner to complete every task necessary to assure that the company continues to grow and thrive. Like many other skills, delegation is a learned process. Becoming an adept delegator is challenging; it requires learning to let go, allowing others to make decisions and accepting consequences - including work that is perhaps not exactly as you would complete it had you done it yourself." – Vicki M. Daughdrill, "Dead-on delegation," Feb. 23, 2009, issue 09:02:02
"Many new entrepreneurs start their businesses because they're passionate about a recipe or an idea. Any successful restaurateur will tell you that you won't survive on passion and hard work alone. You need a plan, and you need to figure out how to delegate so you aren't wearing so many hats." – Adam Niec, Certain Pay, Mindset, your most important asset," Nov. 23, 2020, issue 20:11:02
"The data gold rush has left humans awash in extraneous data, and instead of getting mired in minute data points, humans could delegate sorting and decisioning to AIs, [Adrian] Talapan stated, adding, Why not allow smart digital assistants to perform A/B testing, using automated, real-time analytics?" Dale S. Laszig, "Smart phones, dumb habits," April 25, 2011, issue 11:04:02
"Of course, regular employees are still an essential part of the business process; a computer is only as good as its operator. But by relying on a computer system to perform the tasks it does best, without fail, merchants can make it an essential part of their business teams. And they can free their employees to do the in-person tasks to which they are best suited. Every effective manager knows the importance of delegating. By using the right technology system, a business can find the perfect balance between technology and in-person customer relations. ... Find a processor that offers technology you can trust, and you can make technology the cornerstone of your sales pitch - and watch your profits soar." – Marcelo Paladini, "Technology: The ideal employee," June 7, 2007, issue 07:06:01
Given advancements in AI, we have more ways to delegate than ever. We will continue to offer perspectives on delegating as payments professionals incorporate ever more powerful technology while also retaining a valued human workforce. 
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Notice to readers: These are archived articles. Contact names or information may be out of date. We regret any inconvenience.
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