#043: How to Delegate Even If You Don’t Have a Staff [Podcast]
Delegation truly is a fine art and a necessary skill. In this episode, I talk about how you can delegate even if you don’t have a staff.
Whenever I write or speak on the topic of delegation, I always get a question from someone who says, “But what if you don’t have a staff? How can you delegate?” As you increase your impact in the world, you will, inevitably, encounter situations where delegation is not only helpful but essential to growth.
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This episode is Part 2 of Episode 42: The Fine Art of Delegation. Before proceeding, it would be beneficial for you to go back and reexamine some important principles covered in that episode.
In this episode I want to recommend seven strategies for those who want to delegate but don’t have anyone to whom you can delegate.
Strategy #1: Triage your “To-Do List.”
Strategy #2: Use technology more effectively.
Strategy #3: Negotiate out of previous assignments.
Strategy #4: Ask for volunteer help.
Strategy #5: Use variable cost alternatives.
Strategy #6: Appeal for more resources.
Strategy #7: Muster the courage to say no.
I know this just scratches the surface, but I firmly believe in the principle that “he who is faithful in little is also faithful in much” (see Luke 16:10). If you are a good steward with what you have been given, you will eventually be given more.
Listener Questions
Celeste Vaughn asked, “How do you know when it’s time to let go and trust someone else to do the job right?”
Daniel J. Lewis asked, “How can I ensure quality control when I am delegating tasks to volunteers who may not have much experience with the tools and techniques I need them to use?”
Dr. Bill Dyment asked, “When it comes to social media, what portion can you delegate to others and what part should you continue to do yourself?”
Gary Morland asked, “How do you track and follow-up on tasks you delegate?”
Jeremiah Crane asked, “How do I get my supervisor to delegate more important work to me without coming across as power hungry?”
Julie Sunne asked, “What kinds of business-related tasks can I delegate to my teen children?”
Paul Jolicoeur asked, “When do you know it’s time to delegate a task to someone else to free you up for new opportunities?”
Phil Darke asked, “How do you demand excellence from those to whom you delegate and not appear to be micromanaging them in the process?”
Richella Parham asked, “How do you decide whether a task should be delegated or simply eliminated?”
Samson Varughese asked, “How do I keep from trusting too much and not exercising enough oversight?”
Victor H. Manzanilla asked, “What is the best way to get your boss to trust you more and advance you through the five levels of delegation?”
Special Announcements
We have just opened registration for the Launch Conference, April 8–11, 2013 at the beautiful WinShape Retreat Center in Rome Georgia. Whether you are a professional speaker—or just want to be—this conference will teach you how to start where you are and take your business to the next level
Platform University continues to do well. We migrated to a different server this past weekend in order to solve some of the technical problems some of our members were experiencing.
Last week, we posted the first “Backstage Pass” video, where I took our members on a tour of my home office and my new downtown office. I explained how I carefully designed these environments to maximize my creativity and productivity. I shared my tools and the rationale of why I do what I do.
Yesterday, we posted the first “Member Makeover.” We picked one member, and then I recorded a screencast of me walking through the various components of their platform and offering suggestions for how they could improve and see immediate results.
If you are serious about building a platform, please check out Platform University. It’s only $25.00 a month—less than a dollar a day. I don’t know of a faster, cheaper way to launch your platform or take it to the next level
My next podcast will be on the topic of “How to Overcome the Resistance.” If you have a question on this subject, please leave me a voicemail message. This is a terrific way to cross-promote your blog or website, because I will link to it, just like I did with the callers in this episode.
Episode Resources
In this episode I mentioned several resources, including:
Book: The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
Company: eaHELP.com
Conference: The Launch Conference
Membership: Platform University
Podcast: The Fine Art of Delegation (Episode 42)
Podcast: How To Say No Without Feeling Guilty (Episode 27)
Podcast: The Busy Mom’s Survival Guide
Post: How To Get Your Boss To Say “Yes,” Part 1
Post: How To Get Your Boss To Say “Yes,” Part 2
Post: How To Get Your Boss To Say “Yes,” Part 3
Software: Nozbe
Software: Evernote
Software: SocialOomph.com
Software: BufferApp.com
Website: Goat Milk Stuff
Show Transcript
You can download a complete, word-for-word transcript of this episode here, courtesy of Ginger Schell, a professional transcriptionist, who handles all my transcription needs.
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Question: What other questions do you have about delegation? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
