Many people think they have too many important things to do, but thats not the real problem. The real problem is either 1) you are trying to do them all yourself, 2) you have no way for anyone else to do them, or 3) all of them simply aren't that important.

One solution is to shrink the things you classify as important, and that avenue should certainly be your first step. But for most people, the leftovers still leave too much to do. I myself am in that category, as is almost everyone I know. You probably are too - especially if you are talking about doing it all yourself...

Enter delegation.

Successful delegation is one of the critical success factors for anyone who wants to be an effective entrepreneur or leader. My definition of leadership is, getting things done through the medium of other people. If you want to do big things you have to extend your reach beyond your ability to do everything at once. So you must lead and you must delegate. It's axiomatic.

And the harder you try to hold on to things, the faster they will get away from you. And the more important your project, the faster it will spin out of control. Especially for us control freaks, lack of good delegating skills can be a real show stopper.

In my business coaching practice, and in Quantum Growth Coaching - our franchise for business coaches - we find that delegation is difficult, even frightening, for many people.

Why?

First of all, you may enjoy doing the thing you have to delegate, and it's hard to give up something you genuinely like...

You may think you do it better than anyone else. You imagine it won't get done as well as if you did it. How could it, if you're the best...

You are certain it won't get done your way...

You may even believe if you don't do that thing, you won't have enough to do. This last is totally laughable, since we began this article with you having too much to do. And yet, in your gut, part of you feels this way...

Know this: whatever things you should give away and don't will get shorter shrift and less attention than they deserve. And if they are important at all, these things will become bottlenecks blocking the continued growth and success of your business - if they aren't doing so already.

So here they are - the four keys to successful and effective delegation.

1. Give the job to someone who can get it done. That means they have two things: Either they can get the skills, knowledge and resources needed or they have a systemized process for doing it, and, they have the time for it. Don't dump your projects onto someone who has neither the wherewithal nor the availability. If you do that you are simply setting them up to fail and setting yourself up for disappointment.

   You know that old adage, if you want something done, give it to a busy person? That may be true from the standpoint of giving your project to someone who is 'can-do.' But if you give your project or problem to someone just like you - someone who is already too busy - what are the chances? Don't just hand things over to the next warm body. Get buy-in from the delegate. Are they okay with this thing? Do they have the time? The resources? The energy? Are they enrolled, or is this just more work for someone who is already overburdened?

2. Communicate your 'conditions of satisfaction.' Have a clear picture of what success looks like. Did you ever ask someone to do something which came back quite different
   Employees - Treat Them the Way They Expect to be Treated
   When you have to deal with one of your team who's complaining to you, rather than allowing your negative programmes to take over, get your thinking part in gear and try to see the situation the way they see it. You don't necessarily have to agree with them but perhaps you can empathise with their point of view.The successful manager thinks about the people they have to deal with, is sensitive to how they see things and knows that they might think differently than they do.Let me give you an example: I've always had a thing about good timekeeping; it's something that's been programmed into my brain. If you agree to meet me at 8.30 in the morning, I'll be there at 8.20; I will always do my utmost be on time.So I us
   p>Enter delegation.

   Successful delegation is one of the critical success factors for anyone who wants to be an effective entrepreneur or leader. My definition of leadership is, getting things done through the medium of other people. If you want to do big things you have to extend your reach beyond your ability to do everything at once. So you must lead and you must delegate. It's axiomatic.

   And the harder you try to hold on to things, the faster they will get away from you. And the more important your project, the faster it will spin out of control. Especially for us control freaks, lack of good delegating skills can be a real show stopper.

   In my business coaching practice, and in Quantum Growth Coaching - our franchise for business coaches - we find that delegation is difficult, even frightening, for many people.

   Why?

   First of all, you may enjoy doing the thing you have to delegate, and it's hard to give up something you genuinely like...

   You may think you do it better than anyone else. You imagine it won't get done as well as if you did it. How could it, if you're the best...

   You are certain it won't get done your way...

   You may even believe if you don't do that thing, you won't have enough to do. This last is totally laughable, since we began this article with you having too much to do. And yet, in your gut, part of you feels this way...

   Know this: whatever things you should give away and don't will get shorter shrift and less attention than they deserve. And if they are important at all, these things will become bottlenecks blocking the continued growth and success of your business - if they aren't doing so already.

   So here they are - the four keys to successful and effective delegation.

   1. Give the job to someone who can get it done. That means they have two things: Either they can get the skills, knowledge and resources needed or they have a systemized process for doing it, and, they have the time for it. Don't dump your projects onto someone who has neither the wherewithal nor the availability. If you do that you are simply setting them up to fail and setting yourself up for disappointment.

      You know that old adage, if you want something done, give it to a busy person? That may be true from the standpoint of giving your project to someone who is 'can-do.' But if you give your project or problem to someone just like you - someone who is already too busy - what are the chances? Don't just hand things over to the next warm body. Get buy-in from the delegate. Are they okay with this thing? Do they have the time? The resources? The energy? Are they enrolled, or is this just more work for someone who is already overburdened?

   2. Communicate your 'conditions of satisfaction.' Have a clear picture of what success looks like. Did you ever ask someone to do something which came back quite different
      Good Marketing Results
      The first step in preparing your marketing plan is look at where you are today. You must know who is your target customer. You must know the workings of direct and indirect competitors. You must understand your industry and where you stand in it.In order to market to your target customer, you must know who they are, what they want, and what motivates them to buy. In order to understand your competitors, you must know who they are, how they do what they do, and how you are better than they are. In order to understand your industry, you must know its current status, its history, its anticipated future, and any possible trends.Good marketing enhances your brand when you can say what is important about your product in
      ur franchise for business coaches - we find that delegation is difficult, even frightening, for many people.

      Why?

      First of all, you may enjoy doing the thing you have to delegate, and it's hard to give up something you genuinely like...

      You may think you do it better than anyone else. You imagine it won't get done as well as if you did it. How could it, if you're the best...

      You are certain it won't get done your way...

      You may even believe if you don't do that thing, you won't have enough to do. This last is totally laughable, since we began this article with you having too much to do. And yet, in your gut, part of you feels this way...

      Know this: whatever things you should give away and don't will get shorter shrift and less attention than they deserve. And if they are important at all, these things will become bottlenecks blocking the continued growth and success of your business - if they aren't doing so already.

      So here they are - the four keys to successful and effective delegation.

      1. Give the job to someone who can get it done. That means they have two things: Either they can get the skills, knowledge and resources needed or they have a systemized process for doing it, and, they have the time for it. Don't dump your projects onto someone who has neither the wherewithal nor the availability. If you do that you are simply setting them up to fail and setting yourself up for disappointment.

         You know that old adage, if you want something done, give it to a busy person? That may be true from the standpoint of giving your project to someone who is 'can-do.' But if you give your project or problem to someone just like you - someone who is already too busy - what are the chances? Don't just hand things over to the next warm body. Get buy-in from the delegate. Are they okay with this thing? Do they have the time? The resources? The energy? Are they enrolled, or is this just more work for someone who is already overburdened?

      2. Communicate your 'conditions of satisfaction.' Have a clear picture of what success looks like. Did you ever ask someone to do something which came back quite different
         Hidden Electric Bill Errors And Overcharges: 5 Myths That Could Cost You Thousands
         If you are a CEO, CFO, Controller, Purchasing or Facility Director, you may never have considered the fact that your electric bills could have hidden overcharges and errors.However, businesses in Virginia and the Carolinas regularly overpay 5%-15% because of these errors.“Four out of five commercial or industrial customers are over billed by the utility at some point.” according to Brian Coughlan, President of Utility Management Services, Inc. in Wilmington, NC.This oversight is due to some common myths about our nation’s power providers:Myth #1: Utilities are government regulated and have our best interest in mindMyth #2: Computers and electronic equipment eliminate billing and metering errors't will get shorter shrift and less attention than they deserve. And if they are important at all, these things will become bottlenecks blocking the continued growth and success of your business - if they aren't doing so already.

         So here they are - the four keys to successful and effective delegation.

         1. Give the job to someone who can get it done. That means they have two things: Either they can get the skills, knowledge and resources needed or they have a systemized process for doing it, and, they have the time for it. Don't dump your projects onto someone who has neither the wherewithal nor the availability. If you do that you are simply setting them up to fail and setting yourself up for disappointment.

            You know that old adage, if you want something done, give it to a busy person? That may be true from the standpoint of giving your project to someone who is 'can-do.' But if you give your project or problem to someone just like you - someone who is already too busy - what are the chances? Don't just hand things over to the next warm body. Get buy-in from the delegate. Are they okay with this thing? Do they have the time? The resources? The energy? Are they enrolled, or is this just more work for someone who is already overburdened?

         2. Communicate your 'conditions of satisfaction.' Have a clear picture of what success looks like. Did you ever ask someone to do something which came back quite different
            The Importance of Customer Satisfaction - Why You Should Focus and Train Your Employees
            Many of us have heard of the current trend for businesses to become ‘customer-centric’, that is, to put the customer at the centre of our business in terms of our strategies, actions and processes. For most of us, old truths still hold good, such as it’s easier and more profitable to sell to existing customers than to find new ones. In practice, organisations are increasingly setting themselves strategies to measure and ensure customer retention, and charging their staff to be more customer-focused and service-oriented. Many organisations now approach the ‘lifetime value’ of customers (calculated as the typical number of purchases per year multiplied by the average purchase value multiplied by the expected number of years of the cus

            You know that old adage, if you want something done, give it to a busy person? That may be true from the standpoint of giving your project to someone who is 'can-do.' But if you give your project or problem to someone just like you - someone who is already too busy - what are the chances? Don't just hand things over to the next warm body. Get buy-in from the delegate. Are they okay with this thing? Do they have the time? The resources? The energy? Are they enrolled, or is this just more work for someone who is already overburdened?

         3. Communicate your 'conditions of satisfaction.' Have a clear picture of what success looks like. Did you ever ask someone to do something which came back quite different than you thought it would? Be sure you have mutual agreement on the critical requirements. How do you want it to look? What are the parameters? Are there any special processes that need to be engaged? Particular people you want engaged? What format must it take? And - often most importantly - by when?

            Use SMART (specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, time-based) goals to clarify the desired outcome along with a timeline for the thing's accomplishment. Also, if necessary, set up a measurement system that will help you and your delegate know whether things are on or off track. You can abbreviate this step if the task is simple, but make sure to have your bases covered.

         4. Work out a plan. How will it get done? This does not mean you should micro-manage, that's the very opposite of what you need. But one key to successful delegating is knowing the thing can get done and will get done. Depending on the degree of difficulty, you may ask that the first step of the plan is to work out the plan. In other cases, your request may be simple and a plan not necessary. But think this through-decide whether a plan is needed, and make sure there is one.
         5. Establish a feedback loop.

            How are you going to get updates and give feedback or advice? When are you going to speak or meet? How frequently? Will they send you an email, or a formal progress report? Create some pre-defined mechanism that will keep you informed, and to give them an opportunity to seek guidance if appropriate.

         Delegating is not abdicating

         There is a big difference between these two. When you abdicate you are saying - I'm neither responsible nor accountable for the results. When you delegate, you are still accountable for the results. You are asking someone else to do the work, but it's ultimately your work. To paraphrase Harry Truman, the buck still stops with you. Lack of easy-to-communicate, easy-to-duplicate systems is another reason people have trouble having too much to do, but that is entire subject in itself, and I'll address it at another time.

         ---

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