Delegating 101: Do Work You Love

So, why did you first start your business? I bet it wasn’t to have your day consumed with detailing the budget, schedule and prioritized tasks for your new product launch. Does the idea of clearing out thousands of emails in your inbox get you over the moon excited?

Nope? I didn't think so.

Around here it's not just about doing work, but doing work you love.

If you're at the point in your business where you're ready to get back your sanity by delegating some of those "hate-to-do" tasks, get ready to breathe a sigh of relief.

In this post, I’ll answer some of the questions that I get most often from my clients and colleagues related to delegating, and finding & onboarding great talent.

What Should I Delegate?

First off, please don't hire a virtual assistant or project manager without a plan. Even the best VA's & PM's are going to struggle if you don't have a plan for what you want them to accomplish.

To figure out what you want to delegate, track all of the tasks that you do for 1 week. (You can either write your tasks down or track them with an app like Toggl). Once you've done this, cross off all of the tasks that you want/love to do, and the remaining tasks can be delegated.

How Do I Find Quality Talent?

I know - I know, this could be a post all in itself, but today I'm going to keep it brief.

Consider these three main things when searching for new talent:

1) Does their past experience and/or work samples show that they can perform the job?

2) Do their values fit into your culture & brand?

3) Do they have strengths where your weaknesses lie?

If at all possible, do a Zoom interview with the candidate so that you can get a feel for their personality, and get an idea if you gel with them. If Zoom is not possible, your next best option is to get on the phone with them. This is especially important if you're building out your core team, this core team is going to help project your brand and work ethic, for better or worse.

If you’re hiring for a niche service like social media management, then you’re going to want to see examples of their work, whether they direct you to a page they currently manage, or send you samples of their work. If you’re hiring for a PM or operations manager, you’re going to want to understand their management style and process.

How Should I Onboard My New Team Member?

Remember, in the beginning, it takes time to save time. If you want your new team member to have the best chances of success then you need to have an onboarding plan for them.

To develop your onboarding plan, start with the end goal in mind: You want to have a team member who can fulfill their responsibilities, knows your brand voice, the tech you use, and any company specific processes & procedures you may have.

Your onboarding process may include:

• A video or guide for your company specific tech

• Clear description of their role & responsibilities

• A standard operating procedure (SOP) for any repetitive tasks you want them to complete. Don't overcomplicate things for yourself, this can be as simple as a 1-page how-to that answers who is responsible for doing the task, when the task needs to be completed, and steps to completing the tasks.

• Explain the 'heart' behind your company. "Why do you do what you do?" and "How do you want your clients to feel when they work with you?"

I hope this article makes it a little easier to delegate to an awesome new team member, and helps make your life a little easier.

Remember, you can do this!

Feel free to reach out if you need help developing your onboarding process, SOPs, or managing your team and projects, I'm only a click away.

#delegating #onboarding #hiring