Delegation is what you need
I've just returned from the most amazing holiday. We spent two weeks enjoying the sun, sea and Sangria on a beautiful Spanish island. I feel enthused, re-energised, full of optimism and ideas for the rest of 2017 and beyond!
One of the reasons I enjoyed this break so much was that I was able to switch off from everything here at blueumbrella with complete confidence that nothing would go wrong.
Having such an amazing team around me made this possible but I also followed a process of delegation that I have used for so long that it is virtually instinctive to me now. On this occasion, I took a closer look to see if I could refine this process and improve it in any way. What I realised is that with modern technology, delegating is less onerous than ever. However, there are a number of key elements to getting delegation right that will never change.
I made a note of these which I shared with all blueumbrella's VAs, and now you! I hope they may be of some use and help you to improve how you delegate. Some may seem obvious, but I believe it is worth taking the time to go through them in detail.
Prepare - Take the time to map out exactly what you need
Assign - Share all necessary information in a clear and consistent way
Confirm understanding - Don't assume understanding, take the time to confirm
Trust but verify - let the person you are delegating know that it's ok to 'run things by you' at the beginning rather than make a wrong decision
Give feedback - This is incredibly useful to both parties. It may take a little more time, but it will ensure you are getting what you need and helping others to get better which can only benefit you in the long run
Finally, one of the most important things I have learnt over the years is that when there is a mistake, it is rarely the person doing the work who has caused the problem. When you analyse why the problem occurred, you almost always find a misunderstanding with the original instructions.
Hopefully, if you follow some of my top tips, you can avoid any problematic situations! As ever, if you have any comments or tips, please let us know!
Richard Branson talking about the importance of delegation.