Solution: Practice the fine art of delegation. (It is an art, not a science.) If you parcel out certain jobs among other staff members, you can devote more of your time to areas with greater profit potential. Furthermore, this will enable you to develop a workforce of thinkers, not just doers.
Of course, you will still have to fight your natural tendencies. The following are seven practical suggestions for getting started:
1. Explain the concept clearly. At first, your employees may be hesitant to change the way they do things, particularly if they have been on the job for a long time. Begin by covering all the ground rules. This includes which employees will perform which jobs, what their goals will be, when assignments are due, how the work will be evaluated, etc. If everyone starts on the same page, the process should go more smoothly.
2. Match jobs to talents. Not all employees thrive under a delegation system. The best approach is to begin with employees who have demonstrated the ability to think on their feet. Otherwise, you might end up with an endless stream of people coming to you for help—a sure sign that the delegation process is not working out too well.
3. Give up some control. In order for delegation to work well, you must empower your employees to make their own decisions. Do not make “delegation” just another word for doing things the same old way. Be receptive to change.
4. Obtain a commitment. In return for receiving greater authority, your employees must understand that they will now be held more accountable for their decisions. To get this point across, spell out the rewards for those employees who succeed and the repercussions for those who fail.
5. Monitor the work flow. In the beginning, you should keep a close watch on how well your staff is handling the delegation process. This is a tricky area. If you do too much monitoring, you are back to doing things on your own; too little, and you can lose track of what your staff is doing.
6. Review the work. Once a project is completed, set aside time to evaluate the employee’s work. Has everything been done to satisfaction and on time? If not, explain where the person went wrong and what you expect the next time. Try to offer specific and constructive criticism so the person can learn from the experience.
7. Leave other matters to the experts. For instance, you would not expect an attorney, accountant or business consultant to know everything about running your business—why would you assume that you know theirs? Obtain professional advice on matters such as taxes and employment discrimination when it is appropriate.
If you follow these seven basic suggestions, you should be on the path to greater productivity and profitability. Best of all: This process could provide benefits for years to come.
Other articles in the October 2010 Edition of Business Matters: