The Slinky Principles
You Cannot Do It Alone- Delegate
In the past, it has been our experience that the CEOs of several budding companies become overwhelmed by having to wear too many hats in an effort to create momentum and attain profitability. Strange as it may seem, the trick to great delegation can be found in a slinky demonstration.
One Christmas both of my daughters were given two slinky toys from Santa. Yep� you guessed it, the same Santa that was kissing Momma underneath the mistletoe. The first task of the morning was to attempt an uninterrupted run of the slinky down the full flight of stairs. I had no idea a Slinky was so hard to operate!
After more than a few frustrating attempts, I, at length, completed a full run to the bottom of the stairs. My girls cheered and high 5�s were exchanged. Now came the task of seeing if they could do it. The first attempts were less than perfect and it appeared as though I was the only person in the house that could regularly send a Slinky perfectly to the base of the stairs. Just like any good dad would, I demonstrated my method until my children could imitate my procedure.
The following are 5 "Slinky Steps" you should use when delegating essential tasks to other members of your business:
1. Experience � Begin by understanding what knowledge is required to accomplish the task. Do you have to acquire the expertise, or would it be better to find someone who already has the skills to manage this function for you? Do you understand every aspect of a particular function in your company and the result someone with powerful experience can have on the bottom line? I hired a graphic design company to create some marketing kits for me and sales went up by several multipliers. Another time, our firm hired specialized attorneys and we saved thousands of dollars in potential liabilities.
If you are worried about budget, remember that tasks can be divided into simple, part-time functions that can be hired out at an affordable rate. For example, if your current operation requires only 3 hours of bookkeeping per week, you can hire out that function for about $30 per week. The same tactic can be used for shipping procedures and any other repetitive task that consumes your time. Filling your time in an attempt to complete all the tasks will wipe out your ability to increase profitability.
2. Follow a Routine � All recurring tasks in your business ought to be assigned to a specific person that is responsible for its completion. If the task requires a special degree of expertise, get an expert to train the assigned person until the task is perfected. All too often, we delegate a certain task and then become annoyed when our staff is performing the task incorrectly, or inefficiently. Document the process of accomplishing the task. The task and the method of completing it, ought to become a routine�a system that's documented and easily duplicated.
3. Repetition � Perfection comes by refining an existing sequence of events. If you do something differently each time you finish a task then advancement becomes next to impossible. Business systems fail and momentum is lost, whenever a task is frequently being reinvented and is never permitted to set into a procedure.
4. Train the delegated tasks properly � Delegation includes correctly training the assigned individual to complete a routine task within your organization. Relegation on the other hand is when you randomly assign someone to complete tasks without explaining an expectation, providing an example of how the task should be completed, and punishing the person when the expectations have not been met. Good training means having an experienced person create or implement a routine system for the task and then finishing the task with the trainee until the procedure is completed correctly.
5. Measure performance � Gain is lost that is not measured. You can't expect progress if you are unwilling to implement tracking mechanisms. Objectives should be recognized in writing and performance ought to be measured on the tasks that lead to achieving the goal. Hold regular meetings with your employees to make goals and collect statistics. Management becomes a much simpler task when you track the progress of properly delegated tasks.
So go purchase a Slinky (No� they haven't paid me for a product placement!) and develop a procedure for making it go perfectly down an entire flight of stairs. Next, train somebody on your method and see if they can duplicate your results. Keep track of each successful and unsuccessful run on a sheet of paper. Observe your results and learn your new training routine! Happy Delegating!
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About the Author
Rod Alan Richardson has dedicated his life to teaching people to succeed in free enterprise through Business Training. Mr. Richardson believes he can change the world by directing people to a higher road and putting them on the path to Transcend Money.
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