How to Sharpen Your Delegation Skills and Empower Your Team
As a business owner, one of the most important skills you can develop is effective delegation. Learning to hand off responsibilities to your employees is key to growing your business and stepping into a stronger leadership role. However, for many entrepreneurs, delegating tasks—especially important ones—can be difficult.
Here’s a simple guide to help you sharpen your delegation skills and build a more efficient, empowered team.
1. Transition from Doer to Leader
When you first started your business, you were likely involved in every detail. But as your business grows, you can’t do everything yourself. You’ve probably already hired some help and started delegating smaller tasks. Now, it’s time to delegate larger responsibilities.
Tip: Trust your team to handle important tasks so you can focus on the bigger picture. This is a crucial step in moving from managing day-to-day operations to leading your business.
2. Hire the Right People
Effective delegation starts with hiring employees who are capable and reliable. It’s easier to delegate when you trust that the right people are in place to get the job done.
Tip: Focus on hiring people whose strengths match the tasks and responsibilities you need to delegate. The right team will give you confidence to step back and let them manage key areas.
3. Be Clear About Expectations
In small businesses, employees often have many roles. This can make it hard for them to know what to prioritize. As the leader, it’s your job to communicate clearly.
Tip: Make sure your employees know:
- Their specific tasks and which ones are the most important.
- What success looks like—don’t assume they know. Be specific.
- Their limits—whether it’s time, budget, or resources.
- When and how to report progress—should they update you regularly, and in writing or verbally?
4. Provide Training When Needed
If you’re uncomfortable delegating certain tasks, it could mean your team needs more training. Invest time in improving their skills so you can confidently assign bigger responsibilities.
Tip: Some employees may prefer routine tasks without much responsibility. Decide if this works for your business. If not, you may need to replace them with people ready for more responsibility.
5. Create Self-Sustaining Processes
Once you have the right people and systems in place, your business should be able to run smoothly without you needing to micromanage. This allows you to focus on leadership and long-term growth.
Tip: Delegating doesn’t mean letting go entirely. You still need to stay involved at a high level, checking in to make sure everything runs as expected.
Why Delegation is Essential for Growth
Delegating effectively allows your business to grow without you needing to handle everything. It frees up your time to focus on strategy, empowers your team, and builds a stronger, more sustainable company.
Good leaders know how to delegate so they can lead, rather than manage every detail.
Are You Ready to Delegate?
Take a look at your current responsibilities. Are you holding on to tasks that could be delegated? If so, it’s time to improve your delegation skills and allow your team to take on more ownership.
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For worksheets and other information on how to grow your business and a FREE e-copy of “The Small Business Toolbook” by Ray Silverstein send us an email at Ray@propres.com
