You’ve all heard the story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it. Everybody was sure Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

Delegating. Seems like it should be freeing, right? Giving all of those tedious and mundane tasks to someone else to do - things that could surely done by anyone who’s not as busy as you are right now. You’ve got deadlines to meet, clients to please and for-goodness-sake, a life outside of work! But. It’s. So. Painful. Not only will you have to choose a perfect assistant, you’ll actually have to drop the reigns and let them take over! Is it time to unclench your grip?

Here’s a neat test I found to help you decide. Answer yes or no:

1. Do you allow your team members to make mistakes?

2. Do you frequently take work home or work late at the office?

3. Does your team function smoothly when you are absent?

4. Do you over-rule or reverse decisions made by team members?

5. If you were incapacitated for 6 months, could a team member take over smoothly?

6. Do you do some things your team members could be doing?

7. Do your team members take initiative without input from you?

8. When you return from a trip or training, is there a big pile in your in-box?

9. Do your team members delegate to their teams (if applicable)?

10. Do you spend time on details that you would rather spend on planning and supervision?

To determine whether delegation may be able to help you, give yourself one point for each answer of “Yes” on the even-numbered questions (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10), and one point for each answer of “No” on the odd-numbered questions (1, 3, 5, 7, and 9). The higher your score, the more likely you are to need to use delegation more than you are now. Any score higher than 5 indicates some need for additional delegation of tasks.[1]

I like the use of the term “team” above. Your team is just that. Imagine a game where you are playing all the positions yourself. Could you win? Possibly - but more likely, you would run out of time, get burned out or just flat out fail. We need to be able to pass the ball. We also need to be aware of who it’s best to pass it to – each team member has his own set of skills. At times, duties may even be best handled outside the office. One time-consuming task that has made its way to the top of every web owner’s to-do list these days is a weekly blog or newsletter. Did you know that you can hire someone to write your blogs for you? Here are some professional ghostwriters who can keep your blog up to date or create a newsletter:

http://www.mccordweb.com

http://www.thenewslettercompany.com/

http://www.getitinwriting.biz/e-newsletters.htm

Initially, outsourcing may seem like an unnecessary expense (after all, you could do it yourself!), but not if it can free you up to focus on more profitable projects.

The above test is a good self-examination for the workplace, but what about at home? New team, different game! No matter what arena of life we play in – as a boss, parent, homemaker - we think nobody can do it as good as we can. But, just as we delegate in business, we can also delegate in our homes. Sometimes we just overlook the fact that we can! Ask your spouse to share the yard or housework with you. Have the kids to take over getting the mail, walking the dog or emptying the dishwasher. Pay bills online. Get a nanny. Have the house professionally cleaned once a month. Order out.
Theodore Roosevelt himself said, “The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.” Eighty years later, Ronald Reagan said the same thing: “Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don’t interfere.” Now, maybe Ron just adopted that notion from Teddy, but might I suggest that great minds think alike! And if the President of the United States can feel secure enough to let some of his team handle a few things, shouldn’t we?

For more seriously in-depth info on delegating, see this article: http://www.lawsoncg.com/lcgi-article_delegate.htm

[1] http://sa-health.wikidot.com/how-to-delegate