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Delegating is harder than it seems

One of the most common habits people engage in today is checking their smartphones.

For example, try deleting your most used app, and you’ll find your thumb will still try to find it. As humans, we are creatures of habit, and breaking free from that is not just a challenge but near impossible if you don’t do it right.

These habits don’t just affect our personal lives. Business owners form many habits. It may be the tasks they perform religiously, or it may be their approach they can’t shake.

These habits may be the reason they can’t delegate tasks, even though doing so would make a huge difference to their business.

We’re going to look at the challenges small business owners face when it comes to delegation, why delegation is important, and how to overcome the habit delegation barrier.

Challenges of Delegating for Small Business Owners

1. Fear of Losing Control

Delegating tasks can trigger a fear of losing control among small business owners.

After all, your business is your baby, and the idea of entrusting important tasks to others can feel unsettling. This fear often stems from a desire for perfectionism and a belief that no one else can do the job as well as they can. However, holding onto this mindset can really limit your business growth.

2. Lack of Trust to maintain Quality and Consistency

Maintaining the quality and consistency of work is a valid concern when delegating tasks.

After all, your reputation is on the line, and you want to ensure that your customers receive the same level of service they have come to expect. It takes time to build trust that someone else will maintain your standards, and is therefore one of the biggest and most valid reasons you may struggle to let go.

3. Perceived lack of time

Sometimes the time it takes to delegate tasks can be an obstacle. If it feels like it will take longer to delegate tasks than to do it yourself, you may be reluctant. Especially when individually these tasks may appear short—5 minutes here, 10 minutes there. But over the course of the day, they rack up, and take focus away from more important tasks.

4. Inability to break habits

You may also struggle to delegate tasks you are familiar with or enjoy doing themselves. Whether it’s handling customer inquiries or managing finances, this has become part of your routine. These habits can cause high-impact tasks and strategic thinking to take a back seat in place of day-to-day tasks.

Okay, so how do you overcome these challenges?  Here are some strategies that might help:

1. Start Small and Build Trust

To overcome the fear of losing control and lack of trust in team members, you can start by delegating smaller, less critical tasks. This allows them to build trust and confidence gradually.

2. Communicate Clear Expectations

Clear communication is essential for effective delegation. You should clearly communicate their expectations for delegated tasks, including deadlines, quality standards, and any necessary resources.

3. Empower others & celebrate their achievements

Investing in training and development for others to effectively handle tasks is a great place to start. Rather than feeling like you’re the only one who can do something, you arm others with the necessary skills. Getting used to celebrating their achievements when they perform tasks at or above the standard you expect, will help foster a culture of delegation and empowerment.

So…

Delegating tasks is a vital skill for small business owners who want to grow and scale their businesses. However, it’s not without its challenges.

By understanding the psychological and practical barriers to delegation and implementing strategies to overcome them, you can unlock the full potential of delegating for growth and success.

At Virtual Lottie, we understand these challenges and make delegation easy. We’ll help you discover which tasks you can delegate and ensure your standards are met. As trust builds, your habit of holding onto tasks will turn into a habit of delegating and focusing on driving your business growth.

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