Sure, delegating responsibility can be scary. We get it. But do not make it an excuse not to do it. To help ease into it, having a game plan going in makes a world of difference. Too often people hire and delegate without knowing how to make the most of their additional help. We’ve seen the repercussions of too much, too soon or the dreaded hesitation of letting go. But we can help.

So first…

1. Assess Your Own Tasks & Time

Before hiring, we recommend keeping tabs on what exactly you’re working on and how long you’re spending. Then, rank your priorities. By keeping track of your own time, the tasks you most need to hand off will be easily pinpointed. We highly recommend T-Sheets for an easy to use software that allows a comprehensive snapshot of your day.

2. Communicate. And then Communicate Some More

Hiring an assistant can work wonders for both your business and your stress level. However, if communication is stunted, progress will be blocked. We recommend scheduling time to meet once a week to touch base. In person is great, but virtual is just as good (we recommend Zoom – it’s top quality & free!). Try to understand how they work, what their strengths are, their weaknesses. And, most importantly, allow yourself the flexibility of change. Don’t be a tyrant. A great assistant who can “manage-up” is one of the best tools you can have – trust us.

3. Delegate in Waves

Ramp up your assistant’s responsibility in stages. Start small, gauge results, and then delegate more and more when you’re both ready. Soon, your assistant will feel like more of an extension of yourself, allowing them the opportunity to “manage-up” (spotting weaknesses or gaps before they happen) and you’ll have that warm, fuzzy feeling of someone really *getting* you and your business.

4. Spend Some Time Away

We know you’re the backbone of your business. That doesn’t mean you need to be front and center every day, all day. In fact, you shouldn’t be.  With an efficient assistant taking on more and more, you need to let your office run without you. It will strengthen your assistant’s “ownership” of their work, and you’ll get to re-prioritize. And being gone doesn’t mean you’re disconnected. Software such as Asana is a great way to keep an eye on what’s going on with clients, projects, progress, and even your assistant’s daily workload.

5. Shift Your Focus

Why did you hire an assistant in the first place? Oh yeah, to do what you do best! If your strength is in selling, or networking, or writing – do it as often as you can. Now that you’ve got a trustworthy assistant to handle the back-office of your business, you must be the driving force to keep that revenue flowing. Also don’t forget to schedule some “me” time. Avoid burnout. Take a vacation. Do what makes you happy. Clear your mind for a few hours, for a weekend, for a cross country trip. Your assistants got this. When the well is dry, you need to make it a priority to relax and get it filled again.

We can’t stress this enough: You can’t do it alone. If you’re uneasy about letting go, it’s OK. Just chip away little by little until you’ve built that confidence. And if you need to get through a couple of assistants until you find the right one, that’s OK, too. This is a working relationship for the both of you and should be mutually beneficial.

If you think you’re at that stage where you’re ready to stop focusing on administrivia and start building revenue, let’s talk about how C3Workplace can help you.

Don’t put off today what will make an easier tomorrow!