How to Know When to Delegate as a Sole Business Owner
Allocating work to freelancers or colleagues can free up your time, so you can do what you do best
Tired of working on your business, not in it? Spending too long on admin and not with your clients? Then it sounds like it’s time to delegate some tasks so you can get back to doing what you enjoy the most. It can be hard to hand over tasks when you’re the sole owner of a business, as there’s a constant fear that the work won’t be up to your standard. “Delegating allows others to build skills and competency,” says Michael Woodham of Spaceworks cabinetry design company. “Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should do it yourself.”
The key is knowing when and whom you delegate to. Peter Knights of Taylor Knights Architects also believes it’s about maximising your skills and utilising your time effectively. “We all have our limitations,” he says. “Delegating allows you to focus on the big picture and think creatively, rather than getting bogged down in the nitty gritty.”
Here, we ask other small business owners why delegating is an important factor in achieving success and how to go about it effectively.
The key is knowing when and whom you delegate to. Peter Knights of Taylor Knights Architects also believes it’s about maximising your skills and utilising your time effectively. “We all have our limitations,” he says. “Delegating allows you to focus on the big picture and think creatively, rather than getting bogged down in the nitty gritty.”
Here, we ask other small business owners why delegating is an important factor in achieving success and how to go about it effectively.
Calculate your value
Are you spending time doing jobs you’re not getting paid for, such as working on your website or balancing your books? At Houzz, we’ve created an invaluable document to calculate the value of your time that you can download here, which will help you identify what your time is worth and how much more revenue you could be generating if you optimise your time more efficiently.
“Increasing your consultant base will take some of the pressure off,” says Hogan. “Reports and written content can usually be sourced with consultants.”
Follow the easy steps of our downloadable Value of Your Time calculator and you’ll be able to work out the total hours spent on tasks that could have been delegated, and discover the additional earnings you could be making.
Are you spending time doing jobs you’re not getting paid for, such as working on your website or balancing your books? At Houzz, we’ve created an invaluable document to calculate the value of your time that you can download here, which will help you identify what your time is worth and how much more revenue you could be generating if you optimise your time more efficiently.
“Increasing your consultant base will take some of the pressure off,” says Hogan. “Reports and written content can usually be sourced with consultants.”
Follow the easy steps of our downloadable Value of Your Time calculator and you’ll be able to work out the total hours spent on tasks that could have been delegated, and discover the additional earnings you could be making.
How and what to delegate
Before you entrust jobs to others, consider whether you will be able to work as many hours as you delegate, and if you will need to account for time spent training or managing. Will you realistically be able to take on more work if you delegate? And if you’re outsourcing a task, make sure the cost of the service is worth it.
Knowing what to delegate can be a minefield, but as long as you clearly articulate the desired outcome and ensure you’re available for support at all stages, the process should be beneficial. “Some work is naturally better suited to others and often it’s a self-selection process,” says Knights. “When people are passionate they tend to put their hand up rather than needing to delegate.”
Before you entrust jobs to others, consider whether you will be able to work as many hours as you delegate, and if you will need to account for time spent training or managing. Will you realistically be able to take on more work if you delegate? And if you’re outsourcing a task, make sure the cost of the service is worth it.
Knowing what to delegate can be a minefield, but as long as you clearly articulate the desired outcome and ensure you’re available for support at all stages, the process should be beneficial. “Some work is naturally better suited to others and often it’s a self-selection process,” says Knights. “When people are passionate they tend to put their hand up rather than needing to delegate.”
Stay in control
It’s important to keep track of the delegated work to maintain a level of control. Establish clear timelines and deadlines, and agree on checkpoints at when you can review the progress of the work.
A clear briefing from the start on what’s expected and what the end goal is will ensure every party is aware of what is expected. Also, be sure to only accept completed work at the standard you originally agreed on. You don’t want to have to spend time redoing any of the work yourself.
Time Management Tips for Small-Business Owners That Actually Work
It’s important to keep track of the delegated work to maintain a level of control. Establish clear timelines and deadlines, and agree on checkpoints at when you can review the progress of the work.
A clear briefing from the start on what’s expected and what the end goal is will ensure every party is aware of what is expected. Also, be sure to only accept completed work at the standard you originally agreed on. You don’t want to have to spend time redoing any of the work yourself.
Time Management Tips for Small-Business Owners That Actually Work
Reap the benefits of delegating
Initially, delegating may feel like a hassle, however once you have identified the tasks that could save you the most amount of time, the right people to do the job and how to delegate in the right way, you can largely expand the amount of work you deliver.
You should also get in the habit of complimenting colleagues or freelancers where credit is due, as this will build confidence on both sides, improving the next delegated task they are given.
Tell us
Share your nifty small-business hints with fellow Houzzers in the Comments below.
More
For more advice on running your business, read Houzz’s tips for professionals here
Initially, delegating may feel like a hassle, however once you have identified the tasks that could save you the most amount of time, the right people to do the job and how to delegate in the right way, you can largely expand the amount of work you deliver.
You should also get in the habit of complimenting colleagues or freelancers where credit is due, as this will build confidence on both sides, improving the next delegated task they are given.
Tell us
Share your nifty small-business hints with fellow Houzzers in the Comments below.
More
For more advice on running your business, read Houzz’s tips for professionals here
As a sole owner, it’s likely you put a lot of pressure on yourself to be the very best, working long, hard hours to succeed in your line of work. However, there’s a limited amount that you can do, and these limitations can often lead to stress and a sense that you’ve let people down.
Being able to share the load and delegate is a skill worth learning.
Sheralee Hogan of Site Specific Designs agrees. “If you try to do everything, you will lose sight of the important parts of the project, like the design intent and outcome, but mostly, things can get missed.”
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