5 Common Mistakes to Watch Out for when Delegating Tasks.
Picture this: You're a busy entrepreneur, trying to do it all on your own. You want to help as many people as you can by sharing your knowledge and passion. But, let's face it- you're overwhelmed with your workload. What do you do?
Your best option is to get some help. Its time to start delegating!
(Learn how to decide which tasks are best to delegate in your business with our FREE Delegation Worksheet!)
Delegation is the biggest game-changer for any business owner or entrepreneur, but it can also lead to confusion and inefficiency if not executed well. And we all know how frustrating that can be!
By understanding and avoiding these 5 common mistakes, you can make sure that your delegation process is smooth and successful, empowering both you and your virtual assistant.
1. Micromanaging: Letting Go is the Key to Delegation
One of the most common delegation mistakes is micromanaging. When you try to control every detail of a task your Virtual Assistant is handling, you end up doing the work yourself and you ultimately defeat the purpose of delegating.
How to Avoid It:
Before you hire a Virtual Assistant, do your homework! Make sure this person is someone that you can trust to consistently produce quality work. When you've found the right person, you can have confidence that they are capable of executing tasks well, especially after providing clear instructions.
Set up a regular check-in schedule and give them the space to complete tasks independently. By checking in with them regularly, you will know if things are going to plan or if any issues have come up. Remember: If there are no issues, there is no need to worry!
Focus on the outcomes, not the tiny details. As long as the results meet your expectations, how you got them isn't as important as it sometimes feels. Your assistant may have a way of doing something that is different from how you would do it, but it's likely they also have more experience than you in this area, and maybe they know something you don't... If the outcome is what you were looking for, does it matter how you got there?
Tip: If you find yourself micromanaging, take a step back and remember that delegating is about freeing up your time, not controlling everything.
2. Unclear Instructions: Delegation's Worst Enemy.
When you start delegating tasks, you need to provide clear, detailed instructions. If your Virtual Assistant isn’t sure what’s expected, it can lead to mistakes, delays, or the need for constant back-and-forth communication, which again, defeats the purpose of delegation.
How to Avoid It:
Break down tasks into clear, actionable steps. Avoid vague instructions like "Write next month's newsletter". This leaves a lot of details at the discretion of your assistant, which means they may produce something different than what you're looking for. Instead say, "Create a newsletter for February. Topics to cover include XYZ and please include the images in [THIS Google Drive Folder]. We are spreading awareness about [insert topic] so please have a specific section for that. Send it to me for approval when you are finished."
Use templates, guidelines, and examples whenever possible to ensure consistency and clarity. This will let your assistant see what the expectation is, and can often speed up the process as well!
Clearly define your deadlines. Be very specific about when you need a task to be completed by. Not only will this give you a timeline to expect their work finished, but it will allow them to better budget their own time. Allow time for you to review the task and request revisions as well.
3. Overloading Your VA with Tasks: Set Realistic Expectations
Delegating too much at once can overwhelm your Virtual Assistant and lead to burnout, missed deadlines, or mistakes. Just because you want to free up your time doesn’t mean your Virtual Assistant is prepared to take on your entire workload all at once.
How to Avoid It:
Prioritize your tasks. Delegate the most urgent and time-consuming tasks first and leave less pressing ones for later. (My clients are great at this! They often send emails with the subject line "Task for next month" that details what they are planning. This way, they won't forget about it when things get busy, and I can plan ahead too. A great strategy your assistant will love!)
Start with a manageable number of tasks and gradually increase as you build trust in your Virtual Assistant’s abilities. After your assistant completes the same task for you a few times, they start to learn what you like / don't like and tasks become easier and will be completed quicker.
Be realistic about the time required for each task and ask your Virtual Assistant for their estimated completion time. Just because you think you can create and schedule all of your social media posts for the month in 30 minutes, that doesn't mean it's realistic. Your assistant may take a bit longer, but produce a much higher quality product.
4. Not Providing Feedback: A Missed Opportunity for Growth
Without feedback, your Virtual Assistant won’t know how they’re doing or where they can improve. Being honest in your feedback is extremely important! Your assistant's job is to execute on your vision, they're representing your brand, so they need to know if you are happy with their work.
How to Avoid It:
Provide feedback regularly, even if it’s just a quick note or a "Good Job". Positive reinforcement builds morale and encourages high-quality work.
Be specific in your feedback. Instead of just saying “This needs improvement,” provide clear guidance on what they could do differently. Make sure your expectations moving forward are plain and simple.
If a task wasn’t done as expected, explain why and offer suggestions for improvement moving forward. Try to get your Virtual Assistant to understand the vision for the tasks and what the end goal is.
Tip: If you aren't happy with how the task turned out, be honest! Your Virtual Assistant isn't likely to take these things personally. They're here to support you!
5. Poor Systems for Delegation: Wasting Time with Disorganization
Delegation can fall apart when there isn’t a solid system for managing, tracking, and assigning tasks. Without organized workflows and clear systems in place, things can quickly get lost in the shuffle.
How to Avoid It:
Use project management tools like Trello, Asana, or ClickUp to track tasks, deadlines, and priorities. These will save you so much more time than you realize, and your Virtual Assistant can likely help you choose a platform and even set it up!
Create shared files and templates for easy access to important resources. Keep these organized in a storage system that makes sense for you. Make sure your assistant has permission to access them as well!
Ask your Virtual Assistant! This is something your assistant will have a lot of experience in. They can help you create good systems to stay organized and properly delegate tasks. Finding the right system that works for you all by yourself can be a challenge, so enlist some help!
Delegation doesn’t have to be difficult, but it does require strategy and thoughtfulness. By avoiding these common mistakes and focusing on clear communication, realistic expectations, and continuous feedback, you can make the most out of your relationship with your Virtual Assistant and create a collaborative, AND productive work environment.
Struggling to decide which tasks you should be delegating to your assistant?
Download our FREE Delegation Worksheet to figure it out!
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