Ten Tips on Delegating Work

One way to manage your time more effectively is to delegate work to others on your staff or to contract workers you hire for specific projects. How often I hear such comments as, "It takes too much time to delegate." "If I delegate the work there is no guarantee that the work will be done properly. It is just easier to do it myself." "No one can do this as well as I can." If others who have a lower hourly rate can do the work while you focus on the work only you can do, your cash flow will be better because you can do more of the work that only you can do.

1. Be specific about what you want done. Be clear as to the purpose of the delegated work and what kind of results you expect. Take the time to answer the person's questions. This takes less time than redoing work.

2. Set a realistic deadline for the delegated work and make sure that this is workable for the person to whom you are delegating the work.

3. Give the person the information he/she will need and point them toward other resources he/she may use to complete the work

4. Be available for questions and require periodic progress reports.

5. If you are delegating because you have so much to do that you do not have time to give explicit instructions, be sure to delegate to a member of your team or a contract worker who can do the work with a minimum of direction. Perhaps they have done this job before or they have had experience with similar projects.

6. Once you delegate to someone who is well equipped to handle the task, allow the person space to be imaginative in his/her approach and to take the initiative to do something differently or do it in a bigger way (as long as you get the results you are looking for!).

7. If you want to use the delegation of the task (problem) as a way to develop a member of your staff or a contract worker, leave time in your schedule to provide enough detail as to how to go about getting the task done as is necessary for that particular person. (Developing a team member means eventually you will not have to give as much direction.)

8. Have a system to report back to you so that you get feedback without being constantly interrupted during your day. Have a list of critical dates so that you get the feedback regularly.

9. Keep a log of all the projects you delegate and their status. Update the log as you get feedback.

10. Give credit and praise for the successful completion of the task or solution of the problem.

Alvah Parker is a Business and Career Coach as well as publisher of Parker's Points, an email tip list and Road to Success, an ezine. Parker's Value Program© enables her clients to find their own way to work that is more fulfilling and profitable. Her clients are attorneys, business owners, sole practioners, and people in transition. Alvah is found on the web at http://www.asparker.com. She may also be reached at 781-598-0388.

---

Seven Steps to Achieving Your Dream

"Vision is the spectacular that inspires us to carry out... Read More

10 Dos and Donts Of Customer Services

Email etiquette is the key to help calm down anxious... Read More

Top 10 Ways to Turn Clients Into Raving Fans

Do you find great joy in being a coach? If... Read More

Top Ten Tips for Participating in Online Business Expos

Are you ready for a BASH? Have you ever been... Read More

1 Step Program to Achieve All of Your Goals

In Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen's original "Chicken Soup... Read More

10 Reasons to Use Online Banking

With today's technology and people's need for more information it... Read More

7 Tips on How To Prepare for Business Events

Are you scratching your head after business events wondering why... Read More

10 Compelling Reasons Not to Downsize

Almost daily, newspapers, business magazines, radio and television carry reports... Read More

Start Your Own Website in 10 Easy Steps

If you're a beginner, starting a website doesn't have to... Read More

How to Apply the 12 Steps for Managment Conflict and Resolution

1. Admit there is a problem.The very first step in... Read More

7 Tips On Getting Ready To Put Attraction Marketing Into Action

Attraction marketing is about making a customer for life not... Read More

The Ten Best Kept Secrets For Protecting Your Business Property Against Theft

1. Locks and Padlocks ? Locks on all outside entrances... Read More

The Warning signs of Online Fraud and How To Avoid It

The number may seem grim for Web-based commerce. In 2004... Read More

The Benefits Of Helping An Online Business Newbie

Do your remember when you first ventured out in the... Read More

10 Things To Ask Your Accountant

This is a quick checklist of a few things that... Read More

Top Ten Reasons to Write a Sales Letter for Each Product? - Part 1

Authors/publishers are great at getting their books written. Entrepreneurs know... Read More

Top Ten Tips for Improving Your Cash Flow

Cash is king-so they say. If you work for yourself... Read More

The Lazy Person Secrets To Overnight Wealth And Fame

There are so many simple, yet really sure-fire ways of... Read More

Top Ten Tips When Business is Slow

How's your business going to keep growing with the holidays... Read More

Ten Ways to Manage a Rapidly Growing Business

While some new business owners face the issue of not... Read More

7 Ways To Get One-way Links To Your Site

One way links will help you gain better rankings in... Read More

Top 7 Strategies for Writing Accounting Procedures

Part Two of Cash to Cash Cycle SeriesNext: SalesWe've already... Read More

5 Tips to Manage and Organize E-Mail

How do you focus on your urgent e-mail and organize... Read More

Sales Marketing: 10 Tips On How To Promote Yourself And Generate Sales

A lot of people are insecure about buying something or... Read More

Ten Top Performance Management Tips

Talk to Your People Often By building a great... Read More

The Top 10 Reasons Businesses Succeed

Only one of every 5 businesses makes it to its... Read More

Business Goals - The 10 Commandments

The Ten Commandments of Goal Setting While it's good to... Read More

Top Ten Things to Do to Make your Signature File Sell

Always include a powerful signature on every email you send... Read More

10 High-Impact Viral Marketing Strategies

Viral Marketing is allowing people to giveaway and use your... Read More

Top 10 Tips on How To Write About Yourself

Many people find it really hard to write for business... Read More

Top Seven Questions for Starting Projects More Effectively

We all are project managers. Some of us manage projects... Read More

International Shipping/Freight for Dummies

There are lots of benefits for some businesses to import... Read More

Top 7 Reasons You Should Back Up Your Data Online!

How much is your data worth to you? In this... Read More