Entrepreneurship isn’t easy. It takes a lot of hard work, out-of-the-box ideas, and sleepless nights to set up and maintain a successful business. You spend days, weeks, and months planning, developing, and executing your vision. Here are
8 delegation strategies for Women Entrepreneurs to keep the business activates on track.
And while it’s important to be hands-on with your business, there comes a time when you have to learn the art of delegation to grow your company and take it to the next level.
But as your business grows, you have to delegate in a way that doesn’t let your company’s culture, mission, and vision falter.
But as your business grows, you have to delegate in a way that doesn’t let your company’s culture, mission, and vision falter.
As women entrepreneurs, we know that delegation is key to our success. By passing on tasks that can be completed by a Virtual Assistant means we have more time to focus on what’s important – moving our business forward.
However, delegation can be tricky – especially when you’re just starting out. You have to determine what tasks to delegate, how to specify them, and how to maintain the process.
That’s why I’ve put together these 8 Strategies for Women Entrepreneurs to help you as a entrepreneur woman in 2022.
Some of them may work for you right away, while others you may have to tweak to fit your specific needs. But, overall, these strategies will help you delegate tasks with confidence and get the most out of your team.
Develop a Team of A-Players
Building a team of A-players is key to delegation success. Not everyone is cut out for delegation – it takes an expert to produce quality work, accomplish tasks on time and under budget, and be personable.
So think about who you want on your team and what skills they will bring to the table. When you’re looking for a perfect team player, make sure you find like-minded candidates who are excited about your vision and mission and who want to help your company grow.
Remember, you are not only looking for employees, but also for mentors and advisors. These are the people who will help you grow your business and guide you in the right direction.
Set Clear Goals and Expectations
2022 will be here before you know it, so set clear expectations and goals. This is going to be a challenge for women entrepreneurs. We’re hard-wired to do everything ourselves and take on too much at once.
But that can backfire in the long run, because you’ll be stretched too thin and you’ll lose focus on your business goals.
When you set goals and expectations, make sure they are SMART goals. The SMART goal framework is widely used because it’s simple to understand and implement.
SMART stands for “specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound.” So if you’re delegating a new project to your Virtual Assistant, make sure all of these five components are included.
Be sure to also clarify what is and isn’t in the scope of the task. If the task goes beyond the original expectations, be sure to renegotiate the terms of the agreement.
Use a Project Management Tool
Project management tools are essential when it comes to delegation. These tools allow you to track who is doing what, when tasks are due, and how long it will take to complete a project.
You can also assign tasks, send notifications and upload files from these tools. The time you’ll save using project management tools is priceless.
For example, you can create a project template where all relevant information is already laid out. This will make it easy for your assistant to understand the project and start working on it right away.
There are many project management tools available like ClickUp, Trello, Asana, and BaseCamp. Find one that works best for you and your team and stick with it.
Workplace Collaboration Strategy is Important
It’s important to have a workplace collaboration strategy in place. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page and that tasks are completed efficiently.
There are many ways to collaborate with your team. You can use online tools like Slack, Zoom or Google Hangouts for video chats, or you can use email, Slack for task management.
The bottom line is that you need to find a way to communicate with your team that works best for everyone. And make sure that you are always open to feedback and suggestions and provide guidance when needed.
Don't Delegate Too Little, or Too Much
When you first start your business, it’s easy to do everything yourself. After all, no one knows your business better than you do. But at some point, you have to let go and start delegating.
That’s how businesses grow and thrive. However, delegation can also be a pitfall. If you delegate too much, you’ll never be able to build a strong team ultimately leading to a drop in productivity.
If you don’t delegate enough, you’ll be bogged down with tasks and unable to focus on the bigger picture.
You have to find the right balance to avoid either scenario. Only if it’s a task that is not in your area of expertise, or if you don’t have the time to manage, delegate it to your Virtual Assistant!
Delegate, Don't Micromanage
Nobody likes to be micromanaged. In fact, it’s a surefire way to lose your team’s respect and drive them away. So learn to delegate tasks and then step back.
Trust that your team will do the job right, and resist the urge to constantly check in on them. This will only slow them down and hinder their productivity.
If you do need to check in on a project, do it in a constructive way. Offer feedback and suggestions, but don’t take over the project.
Train your Team Members
The final step in the delegation process is training. When you delegate, you cannot expect your employees to know exactly what they need to do. They need clear instructions and guidelines.
This is where training comes in. You need to take the time to train your team members on the tasks you assign them.
Your training should include step-by-step instructions and examples. For example, when you delegate social media promotions, provide them with a list of approved hashtags and post examples of successful social media posts.
When they have a clear understanding of what they need to do, they will be able to complete the task with minimal supervision. Another idea to help your assistant really grasp what you are delegating (and do it right every time!) is to use a screen recorder like Loom.com. Simply do the task you were already going to do, narrate what you are doing and BOOM!
Training material complete. If you would like to take it to the next level, have your Virtual Assistant use the video to create a written task guide with screenshots and log it in your training manual.
Delegate Based on Strengths and Weaknesses
The final tip for delegation is to delegate based on strengths and weaknesses. This will ensure that everyone is working to their strengths and that no one is overworked.
This is something that women can do really well because we tend to be very good at multitasking and accommodating the needs of others.
Take the time to assess your team and delegate tasks based on their strengths and weaknesses. This will not only make them more productive, but it will also make them happier in their jobs. We recommend using the Extended DISC Assessment for the whole team to find what each persons’ strengths are and how you can maximize them.
For example, you might be stronger at marketing and sales or launching a new product – so handle those tasks yourself. And if you’re great with numbers but not so great at writing, then delegate content creation to someone who excels in the skill.
The idea behind delegation is to improve your business and make it as efficient as possible. By taking steps like these, you’ll be able to free up your time and go all-in on what you do best.
Ready to Put These Strategies into Action?
As a woman entrepreneur, you have an important role in society and have to juggle your many different hats. It can be difficult to keep track of everything you need to do, which is why you need a dedicated Virtual Assistant, someone who is motivated, hardworking, and willing to learn.
Delegation is a skill that takes time to master, but it’s definitely worth the effort. Choose the right tasks to delegate – hire a virtual assistant to help you execute these tasks and scale your business like a success story!
Start your next year with a team of Virtual Assistants to help you accomplish your goals. Hire a dedicated Virtual Assistant today!
Book a complimentary consultation call with me and let’s discuss how our Virtual Assistants can help you take your business to the next level in 2022! Connect.Linqcs.com/va