Successful delegation is vital to support business growth. However, it’s also tricky. It can be challenging to know when to delegate, train the person to whom you are delegating, and then let go of the process you have delegated.
In a recent conversation with Alexis Kingsbury, founder of AirManual, Adi and Alexis discussed the difficulties many business owners encounter when trying to document business systems and then delegate those tasks to others. One such difficulty is identifying where to get started. Below, you will find the advice they shared on how to start building business systems for delegation, along with a “why” for adding system documentation to your to-dos.
Why Process Documentation Supports Scalability
There are many reasons to document processes in your business. Here are a few that Adi and Alexis discussed on the podcast:
1. Ensuring a process is available and laid out so that another person can follow supports delegation.
2. Creating a system saves time and money, particularly when the system is something more than one person can utilize.
3. Documented systems allow vital employees to go on uninterrupted holidays, take sick days, and reduce time in the office for the CSuite and management.
4. Implementing a system creates a consistent customer experience.
5. Systems give employees additional resources, simplifying training and onboarding and cutting the time between onboarding and beginning their work.
How to Get Started With Process Documentation
All of the above reasons make process documentation sound like a great idea, right? But if you are already working 60+ hour weeks, adding something else to the to-do list may not feel feasible.
Fortunately, there is a quick way to get started.
Ask yourself, “What is taking up my time and attention?”
In an example that Alexis shared, one business owner was spending hours and days building out quotes for clients. Not only did this force him to work long days and weekends, but it also slowed the client acquisition process and turned off potential customers. By identifying the quote process as the system that he needed to document, the business owner was able to set a reasonable goal of documenting that one process.
Find one activity that takes up most of your time and attention. This is the process to document.
How to Successfully Delegate a Process
Now that you have documented a process, it’s time to delegate it so that you can free up time and attention. This may be easy, as you may already have an employee to whom you can delegate the process. Or, it may be a little trickier because you may need to hire someone.
If you need to hire in order to delegate, you may need to build out one more process: hiring and onboarding. Many businesses do not have consistent hiring processes, so they have inconsistent experiences when looking for the right employee.
Building out and implementing a hiring and onboarding process will get you the employees you need for this and future delegation.
Documenting business systems and delegating those processes is often easier said than done. Many business owners need help as they navigate systematizing and scaling their business. Contact the process experts at Business Success Consulting Group today to gain expert help building your company’s processes.
