Enough with All the Hats – Delegate to Elevate
ByAs a leader, it’s easy to wear a lot of hats: manager, HR, bookkeeper, sales rep, customer service, IT support, and so on. You built this business through hustle, heart, and hands-on work. But eventually, all the different hats become too much and what got you here won’t get you any further.
Let’s be real, if you’re still trying to do it all yourself, you’re not growing a business – you’re creating a bottleneck. This is where delegation becomes a superpower because it’s a powerful strategy for scaling the business, empowering the team, and reclaiming everyone’s time for higher level work.
Common Mental Blocks and Reframing Solutions
Delegation can be tough. I hear it all the time. The reasons sound a lot like limiting beliefs, holding someone back from helping themselves and others grow. Amy Vetter touches on this in her blog post about Entrepreneurial Myths. Consider these common myths, what the reality might be, and how to reframe for success:
| Myth | Reality | Reframe |
|---|---|---|
| No one can do it like I can. I’m not sure I can trust anyone else with this. | This is creating a bottleneck for growth in your team. Others aren’t able to learn or gain experience if you can’t move certain tasks or projects off your plate. | Others will do it differently and still achieve great results – sometimes even better ones! |
| It’ll take longer to explain it than for me to just do it. | Delegating is an investment in your team and your future. It might take more time to show someone else initially, but the time investment will pay off as their confidence and skills improve. | If I spend 30 minutes now, I can save three hours next month and every month after that! |
| Working more = working better. | While this is an easy rut to stay in, overworking leads to burnout and stifles creative energy needed for identifying the next best market / workflow / strategy. | My value isn’t in doing the most, it’s in doing what matters most. |
| If I delegate all my work, I’ll have nothing to do. | This doesn’t mean you’ll be sitting around, bored or idle. This frees you up to do what only you can do. | By delegating, I don’t lose purpose; I gain freedom to focus on the bigger picture. This is where I can have the most impact. |
| Delegating is a codeword for dumping my work onto someone else. | When done right, it’s a partnership. You’re not giving someone your dirty hat – you’re giving them the chance to contribute in a meaningful way and grow in the process. | Delegating means I am empowering my team to perform at a higher level, allowing all of us to grow. |
Take Five Steps to Delegate for Success
- Choose the right person – Match tasks and projects to strengths and interests.
- Set clear expectations – Define what a successful outcome looks like. What is the task, how is it done, when is it due, and provide access to any tech platforms needed.
- Document the process – Create concise how-to videos, checklists, or some other form of SOP (Standard Operating Procedures). The more you document, the less you’ll have to repeat yourself. I like to encourage the person receiving the task to update the SOP as they are learning so that it makes the most sense to them (and makes it easier for when they are ready to delegate).
- Empower, don’t micromanage – Give your team space to figure things out. Check in, but don’t hover. Ask: “What do you need from me to move forward?”
- Review and give feedback – Early on, every completed task is a learning opportunity and a chance for connection. What worked well? What could be better? Fine-tune until it’s a perfectly tailored hat.
You Can’t Elevate if you Don’t Let Go, and Neither Can your Team!
Ready to get rid of some of those hats? Start small. Pick one task this week. Hand it off. Review. Adjust. Repeat.
The most successful leaders aren’t the ones who do everything themselves – they’re the ones who build systems and people that do amazing work with them. If you want to grow your impact, elevate your team, and reclaim your time, it’s time to master the art of delegation.
The Virtual Accounting department at Kernutt Stokes is excellent at wearing your accounting team hat. Want to hand-off paying bills, managing accounts receivable, creating insightful financials? Reach out to find out how we can free up your time to do what you do best.