One of the most persistent barriers that we run into with small business owners as their businesses grow, is their fear of losing control over what they have created. As much as they realize that they do need help if they want to continue to expand, they also have a mindset that insists that they control every aspect of what is going on within their business. What it comes down to, is that they are afraid to delegate.

How can we help them delegate effectively?

Education

Many business owners don’t know how to delegate and this is what really scares them. They think if they give up certain tasks, they won’t get credit for the actual growth of their business. Our first step is showing them how a virtual team works; that processes and steps are put in place and check points are observed. We show them how delegating will alleviate their stress  and that they themselves may actually learn something new about easier ways to manage the tasks that they have been having problems with.

Financial Gain

While financing the outsourcing of some tasks to virtual workers can sound expensive, you will be paying only for work that is completed by them and you get to pick and choose what that work is. Begin by making a list of the tasks that you find are always put off and left until last. These are the jobs you don’t like to do and/or don’t excel at and these are the items that you are better off having someone else do. It does pay in the end, since more of  your work  will be completed accurately. It will save you time and money.

Time Management

Delegating involves deciding which tasks you would like to have someone else perform and if you have let things get to the point where you don’t have the time to take care of them, you may feel that you don’t have the time to discuss the important points with someone who doesn’t know your business as well as you do. Though it will take a bit of extra time at the onset, delegating work to a team will pay off after the initial effort as their processes have proven to automate tasks and make them more time efficient.

Lack of Management Skills

Another reason most business owners can’t/won’t delegate is they don’t have the knowledge and the ability to manage a team of others working under their direction. With a professional virtual team, you won’t have to manage anyone. They already have project managers in place and once their systems are in place, the members of the team collaborate in order to bring  you the best results possible as quickly as you need them.

Learn to Have Confidence in Others

If you have been working on your business by yourself for many years, trusting others and having confidence in their work may be an issue. Our virtual team is prepared to handle a long list of tasks and the potential for your business to flourish will outweigh any concerns you have. Experienced with many types of businesses, we have someone who can handle anything you need done and if we don’t, we will find the best person for you!

The benefits of delegating far outweigh continuing on your own and having your business grind to a standstill. Delegation is learning to get things done through other people and trusting them to put your best interests first. It’s about teamwork and working well with others to provide the best results.

© Chris Draper, DemGen Inc. 2013

Most of us keep a small part of ourselves back some of the time, whether it be energy or concentration, thinking too deeply about something or putting ourselves out there where others can see our real personalities. But when it comes to your business, what do you hold back that is keeping you from succeeding as much as you could and should?

Confidence

Do you have what it takes to go against the flow of other businesses? Does it bother you to be different or stand out in some way? If it does, you may not be confident that your business will succeed. Most very successful small businesses became that way when their owners stepped outside of the norm.  They put into place business practises and came up with ideas that were different from their competitors.

Education

Does learning frighten you or do you not spend time upgrading your skills? Sticking to what you know can mean your business stagnates. Investing in education for yourself can help the growth of your business and it can also mean that you grow as a person. Decide what frightens you the most – learning new skills and having a business that grows beyond your control or feeling like you have failed because you wouldn’t try something new.

Hiring help

Know when you need help and know where to look for it. There are many small business owners who now work with virtual agents and teams. Business owners tend to look on hiring outside help as a loss of control but what it really means is sharing ideas and having someone else to do the work that you really don’t like or don’t excel at. It’s a win-win situation for both the business owner and the virtual team.

Hard work

After that first flush of success, when you see the possibilities for the future looming, do you pull back and instead of putting more effort into your business, do you coast along and do a little less work? This is a common factor in many small businesses, when the business owner decides that what’s good enough now will do for the future, instead of working a little harder and becoming even better at what they already know.

Your health

While this may not seem like a factor that’s important to business, taking care of yourself should be right up there at number one. You can’t give anything to anyone or to your business if you have nothing to give. Your first thought every morning should be what you can do for yourself today. Then think about your business.

The main thing is to realize these qualities in yourself, put a plan of action in place and move ahead step by step. While you may not overcome all of them, even learning a bit more about yourself and how you approach your business will open your eyes to what you need to do in order to succeed.

© Chris Draper, DemGen Inc 2013