Delegation: Three Sabotaging Syndromes That Can Destroy Your Delegation Efforts & How to Avoid Them

Do you experience the real value of delegation? I know it can seem painful to "let go." But with the right systems, you never let go - you delegate. The scope, time and budget of your business are still in your control; you are just letting other people do the work. So question now is, what do you delegate? 20% of your effort should produce 80% of your results. This means you should focus your time and energy on what you do best and what only you can do. Everything else should be delegated. Here are the 3 Sabotaging Syndromes that can destroy your delegation efforts and how to avoid them: Bright Shiny Object Syndrome This is where you are running your business like you are a kid in a candy store. You chase around fun, exciting opportunities without rhyme or reason. You say YES to an idea or opportunity and dedicate your hard earned money, precious time or valuable resources without understanding how it will pay off in your business. When you have a team Bright Shiny Object Syndrome will create confusion, overwhelm and frustration for them as they won’t know what they should be focusing on in the moment. Superhero Syndrome This syndrome is when you make commitments that are completely unrealistic. For some reason, you don’t think to check your calendar or think through your other obligations before you commit to something. You always seem to have more on your plate than you can handle, deadlines come and go,
and your clients and vendors often get frustrated with your tardy deliverables. For some reason, you think you can accomplish unrealistic expectations in record time. This syndrome seems to trickle down to the team easily. You tend to call your webmaster at the last minute with an urgent request (at least once or twice a week.) You expect your urgencies to become their urgencies. Stress abounds because there are so many priorities that must be done now that overwhelm sets in, work slows to a crawl, and nothing gets done! J.O.B. Syndrome The J.O.B. Syndrome is when you run your business like it’s a job. You don’t have a plan, you don’t have a clear vision and direction, and often you will be waiting for magic to happen so clients and opportunities can arrive at your doorstep (or website.) This syndrome is particularly dangerous because it is a symptom of a much bigger problem - the problem of not having the proper mindset. You are probably stuck in the "freelancer mode" where you do just enough to get by. The danger in this syndrome is two-fold. First, you probably will resist building a team because you won’t see the value. Second, even if you do bring a team on board, you don’t have the proper mindset to motivate and direct them properly. Just be mindful of these syndromes and be objective enough so that you can avoid them and relish the success of your business once you learn to let go and delegate!