Are you wondering how to delegate the tasks that only you know how to do right now?
Do you have key responsibilities in your growing business that seem impossible to hand off?
VIDEO
Three Questions to Reflect On
But before we get into the delegation process, here are 3 questions to reflect on:
Which tasks do you wish you could delegate but feel you can’t right now?
What obstacles have you faced when trying to delegate these tasks in the past?
Who can support you and provide fresh eyes to help uncover the hidden steps? (more on that below)
My Nepal Trekking Story
I always dreamed of trekking in the Himalayas. But it seemed impossible – cost, time away, am I fit enough? – until I broke it down into doable steps. I realized my concerns were all self-imposed limitations.
Once I got to Nepal, it was pretty beyond words!
But after hiking for several days, many hours per day, we came to yet another set of incredibly steep rock steps that seemed to go to the horizon. It was intimidating! I wasn’t sure I could make it. But I focused on taking one step at a time (even counting them at times) and made it to Annapurna’s base camp (4,130m or 13,550 ft), the 8th tallest mountain in the world.
What I Learned From My Nepal Trek
This trek taught me that with the right planning, support (our porter-guide was great!), and the mindset to go step-by-step, you can achieve tasks that seem impossible. The same applies to delegating your toughest business responsibilities.
The Step-by-Step Delegation Process (Summary)
Now let’s get into the 7-step delegation process I promised :
Identify tasks you can’t delegate right now Prioritize the tasks based on ROI if delegated. (Examine the ROI regarding money, time, impact, empowering your team, etc.)Explain the chosen top priority task step-by-step to someone new. Discover steps you didn’t think of mentioning before (b/c you do them automatically) – working with someone who has fresh eyes, is curious, asks a lot of questions, and thinks systematically is of great value (by the way, that is part of what we do and teach)Capture the process in writing, videos, etc. – or ask the trainee or “Brilliance Miner” to document it.Simplify – Once the info is complete, it pays to present it in the simplest possible manner to make it easy to absorb and follow.
Graphics (SmartArt, Canva) Flowcharts, Checklists, etc.
Make money and create an impact while t esting and refining the training over time – Test the resulting training material by using it and earning money, i.e., improve it as you scale your business.
The Step-by-Step Delegation Process (With Explanations and Examples)
Here is the delegation process with more complete explanations:
Identify tasks you think you cannot delegate right now.
Jot down specific tasks you wish you could delegate but currently feel you can’t. These are key responsibilities only you know how to do right now in your growing business.
Prioritize the tasks based on ROI if delegated.
Please go through the tasks you wrote down and prioritize them. Consider the potential financial impact, time savings, and other benefits if each task was delegated. Pick the one with the highest ROI, which may be the easiest. – This is like trekking; you must take the first step before taking the second.
Explain the chosen top priority task step-by-step to someone new.
Mention the steps that come to your mind. The other person with fresh eyes will uncover additional steps you missed since this task is second nature to you after doing it for years. Often, the task requires knowledge that spans different disciplines, and there is deep knowledge at the intersection that is impossible for you to think of all at once. For example:
If you’re in the staffing industry with a specialty niche like low-voltage installations, you know a lot about staffing and low-voltage installations.
If you’re in software, and the software is used for legislative drafting (drafting laws and regulations), you know a lot about software and legislation.
The deep knowledge at the intersection of these disciplines is often unconscious and hard to think of all at once. The delegation process helps uncover those hidden, unconscious steps to a task you want to delegate.
If you already have some materials documented, by all means, use them in this process. They are a great starting point for complete, engaging training, allowing you to delegate this tough task.
Capture the process in writing or on video .
As the other person asks questions and pulls more steps out of you, write down or record each uncovered step. Or have your trainee or fresh eyes support person (“Brilliance Miner “) document it so you don’t have to do it all yourself. This is a better way to go. This process extracts the unconscious competence and brilliance you have gained from years of experience and accumulating and applying your expertise.
Simplify the explanation.
Use checklists, flowcharts, graphics, and examples to explain the process in a simple, relatable way. Imagine attempting to drink from a fire hose versus a garden hose – too much complexity will blast people away. Don’t overwhelm others by dumping all the intricacies at once – simplify before adding detail. Make it digestible. A good graphic, flow chart, or checklist goes a long way in making this understandable and engaging to others.
Put the simplified process to work to uncover missing pieces.
Have the courage to use the simplified process before finalizing all steps. Making money with the incomplete process will reveal gaps so you can refine it further.
Make money and create an impact while testing and refining the training over time .
As you make money with the process, continue refining the training materials. This on-the-job validation ensures you fully capture your expertise, so delegating is very successful.
I’m Curious
What “impossible” task will you delegate first? Pick one step and start. You can scale your business and get your life back by delegating your unique knowledge.
I invite you to come to my weekly Q&A about your unique knowledge, the best strategies to thrive in the increasingly AI-driven era, and delegation.
Live brilliantly,
Dr. Stephie
P.S.: I appreciate you commenting and sharing this Treasure Tuesday with others. Thank you!
