Overcoming Obstacles That Prevent Delegating

It is important to overcome obstacles that prevent you delegating responsibilities in the workplace. Delegating can help you get more done in less time and develop a strong support team. Delegating can also help to relieve stress, reduce anxiety, and make you happier.

So, if delegating is so essential for a successful entrepreneur, why do so many find it difficult? The answer is that there are many obstacles that can prevent you from delegating.

In this article, you will find out why it can be difficult to delegate and what you can do to get over the hurdles of delegating tasks.

Perfectionism

Being a perfectionist is probably one of the biggest barriers to delegating authority or tasks. Perfectionists assume (rightly or wrongly) that they can do the job better than anyone else. In many cases, this could be true. However, not delegating tasks out of fear that others will fail will stifle productivity.

How to overcome the obstacle:

Learn to trust members of your team and give them enough training to get the job done well. Also, allow them enough freedom to use their initiative and take responsibility for their work.

Not Enough Time

A perceived lack of time is another obstacle to delegating important tasks. Yes, it does take time to train others and mentor newer employees. However, there actually isn’t enough time in the day to do everything yourself. This is usually because bosses only think about delegating when they are under pressure and need extra help.

How to overcome the obstacle:

To overcome the obstacle of a perceived lack of time, you should view time taken to train others as an investment. It will pay great dividends in the future if you learn to delegate and prepare others to take on important roles.

Bothering Other People

Some managers or entrepreneurs hold back from delegating because they assume that they will bother others. However, you should remember that you are trying to build a successful business and, along the way, you will have to bother others. In a successful team, everyone has their role to play and this is part of their job description.

How to overcome the obstacle:

Realise that you need to get your team on board to drive the success of your business. Your employees or team members will usually thrive on getting added responsibility and not view this as a bother at all.

Misconceptions About Delegating

It could even be misconceptions about the nature of delegating that holds some managers back from getting others involved. Delegating doesn’t mean passing the buck, nor does it mean that you can’t cope with your job.

Simply put, delegating is the way to move your company forward and be successful. Delegation helps employees grow and develop their work skills. Delegation is also the sign of a competent manager.

How to overcome the obstacle:

Realise the harm that a failure to delegate can do to your career. Usually, it’s not the workaholics who climb the corporate ladder but the managers who can put together a successful team through delegation.

You Love Your Job

For many entrepreneurs, they love doing the jobs and tasks that got them into the business in the first place. Changing from a developer role to a more corporate role in the business can be difficult for some. However, your business can only move forward with you at its helm and this means letting go of tasks you should no longer be doing.

How to overcome the obstacle:

If you find delegating tasks you love doing difficult, you could maybe keep your hand in by spending a couple of hours a week doing those jobs. That could also help to foster a good relationship between you and your team as they will see that you are a “hands-on” manager.