4 Myths About Delegating and Why You Must Overcome Them to Be More Productive In Your Business & Life

Many times entrepreneurs and small business owners do not delegate because of certain myths they hold that may or may not be true. In many cases these are mental blocks that you don’t realize and need to overcome. Some of these you are aware of and some of them you are unconscious of. Wherever you see a poor delegator you will probably see one of these myths at work.

MYTH #1 – If you want it done right you have to do it yourself

Most people believe that the only way something is going to be done right is if they do it themselves. This often times keeps you caught up in the “perfectionist trap” which means something has to be perfect before you release it. This idea guarantees that your business will not grow to the level that it is destined to because you will not be spending 85% of your time focused on your “sweet spot.” This myth will hold you back in a constant state of working in your business versus working on your business.

It is important for you to understand that growing a business requires a team and that you have to step out and allow other people to help you. A big reason many entrepreneurs fail is the natural tendency to fall back into your comfort zone and start doing non-revenue generating tasks rather than delegating them. Your responsibility as an entrepreneur is to be the visionary, develop the strategy and delegate.

MYTH #2 There is not enough time to delegate tasks

Sometimes entrepreneurs are so busy and swamped they think they don’t have enough time to sit down and explain the tasks or responsibilities to someone else. They just want to get on with it. Or they may delegate the responsibilities to another person but they don’t take enough time to walk them through it and ensure that the person truly understands what is expected of them.

Just saying “do this and have it done by this date” without clear direction is a sign for disaster. Prior to delegating you must have clear instructions or a step-by-step plan of what should be delegated to ensure success.

Remember there is always enough time for proper training and development. There is an old saying that, “there is never enough time to do it right, but there is always enough time to do it over.” You want to ensure that things are done right the first time. Take the time to delegate and communicate effectively so the task gets done right the first time.

MYTH #3 – I don’t have capable people around me to delegate tasks to

Very often entrepreneurs underestimate the ability of others to get the results that they want. They feel that it is easier for them to do it and they don’t want to take the time to train people. The only way you can test how capable people are, is to give them a task, explain the expectations and allow them the latitude to make mistakes and to learn from them.

Amazingly enough when you provide direction and set realistic expectations, people will deliver beyond what you expected. Learning to train and develop people where you have the confidence to delegate will enable you to get more done in your business.

MYTH #4 – Because I am good at something I should do it myself

The final myth is that because you are particularly good at something you should do it yourself. Remember 85% of your efforts should be focused on your “sweet spot” and areas of excellence. These are the two areas that will generate your business the most income and provide you with the greatest satisfaction. The things that you are doing in the areas of competence and incompetence should be delegated.

The natural tendency is to fall into the habit of trying to do everything because you don’t feel like others can do it like you want. It is important that as you structure your business for growth that you are delegating the tasks that are preventing you from focusing on 3 key areas: marketing, client work and business building.

Effective delegation is the key to building, growing and thriving in your business. So eliminate the delegation myths. Remember that taking the time to delegate well is the most effective investment of your time that you can engage in.

I know that without a shadow of a doubt I would not be where I am without delegating. For many years I ran my business where I did everything and I was only able to grow to a certain level. One I realized what my sweet spot was I knew exactly what I needed to focus my attention on – training and coaching. 85% of my efforts are focused on these 2 areas in one form of fashion whether it be writing or delivering programs, 1:1 or group coaching, speaking or training.

Remember in order for your business to grow – Delegate! Delegate! Delegate!