What do you do if you need help identifying tasks that can be delegated?

Delegation always has been a very critical task, it requires right assessment and perfect understanding of which task should be given to whom on the basis of expertise, time taken, nature of the task, skills required and importantly by evaluating the priority of the task. Tasks delegated should be reviewed regularly for its effectiveness and timely feedbacks are mandatory.

Focus on what is in your control or what is at least in your zone of influence. We tend to overfocus on tasks or deadlines that are not under our control. List all the tasks and deadlines you are in direct control of (there are probably many more tasks than you can imagine!). Review that list and ask yourself if the task is critical and/or urgent. Get rid of all the tasks that are not critical and/or urgent. For the remaining tasks, ask yourself "can someone else perform this task?". Challenge your limiting beliefs (e.g., you do not need the task to be "perfect" or done 100% the way you want).

Always, always delegate to appropriate personnel. Let he/she know you are giving them an opportunity based on performance. Step back and DON'T MICROMANAGE unless you see a deficiency that could endanger your project. Give the delegee all the room they need but have a backup delegee in mind in case things go south.

Begin by identifying all of the tasks and obligations you now handle. Be comprehensive, including routine, repetitive, time-consuming, and non-core duties. This exercise will help you understand where you spend your time and energy.

The first step I take to assess the workload is to create a comprehensive list of everything I need to do. This includes PM tasks, client coaching sessions, course development, marketing activities, administrative tasks, and even social media engagement tasks. I spent quite a lot of time tracking my daily activities in a detailed spreadsheet. This provided a clear picture of my time allocation and helped identify areas for potential delegation.

Use an Eisenhower Box matrix to classify each work into four quadrants: important and urgent, important but not urgent, not important but urgent, and not important and not urgent. Tasks in the latter two categories are ideal for delegation.

I use the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize my tasks every week. This works like a charm every time. Once I have my tasks list, I categorize tasks based on their impact on my work/ business and the time required. I categorize them according to the Eisenhower Matrix and I can see the delegating tasks under are low-impact but time-consuming. Social media content creation fell under the "low-impact, time-consuming" category. So I delegate this task to a virtual assistant with strong writing and social media marketing skills. This allowed me to dedicate more time to developing new coaching programs, a high-impact activity directly related to client growth.

This is an important consideration for effective leadership. As a manager, think carefully about 'how' to take lesser priority tasks off your plate before dumping the 'administrative duties or repetitive tasks that can be standardized' to a subordinate or team member. Is it really their 'growth and learning opportunity' and an effective use of their time at the career level? With the prevalence of AI-powered tools and automation, another person may not be the answer for delegation.

Consider which duties are relevant to your core talents and which may be completed efficiently by someone else. Delegation should allow you to concentrate on high-value activities that require your specialized skill, while others handle jobs that are outside of your strengths or less important.

Provide explicit instructions regarding task requirements, deadlines, and expected outcomes to avoid misunderstandings. Establish open lines of communication to address any questions or clarifications promptly. This approach fosters a smooth delegation process and ensures that team members feel supported as they take on new responsibilities.

Engage your team in a discussion of their interests, strengths, and development aspirations. Understanding their capabilities and aspirations can assist you in assigning tasks to persons who are both capable and motivated to take them on.

Once I identify the tasks for delegation using the Eisenhower Matrix, I provide clear instructions to my VA and set my expectations. I maintain open communication channels to answer questions and provide ongoing feedback too. As an example, when delegating client handling, scheduling appointments, and keeping on tracking the appointments, I provide my VA with step-by-step guidelines, brand voice examples, messaging samples, and an online booking calendar. I also have regular check-ins to discuss if there are any issues and ensure my clients get the best service.

To ensure successful delegation, document the procedures involved in performing the tasks you intend to delegate. Clear standards, checklists, and training materials can help to maintain consistency and minimize errors.

Schedule regular check-ins to discuss delegated tasks' progress and offer feedback as needed. This approach keeps you informed about task status and enables effective guidance and support for team members. Monitoring isn't about micromanaging but ensuring tasks align with desired outcomes.

Regularly assess the progress and outcomes of delegated assignments. Give comments, coaching, and assistance as needed. Be willing to change your delegating plan based on team performance and changing conditions.

If tasks aren't meeting expectations, consider additional training or assigning them to a different team member. Balancing control with empowerment is essential for effective delegation.