Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Delegation in your business requires you to step back, and this is a very scary thing to do. We, as entrepreneurs, also have the mentality that if we let go of our control, things will fall apart. Actually, it is the contrary. When you trust your team and give them the power to do something, they don’t just do the job; they grow, create and progress the company.
It’s all about empowering all employees to take responsibility for the company’s growth. Here is how you can make that leap with confidence — these five fail-proof approaches will revolutionize your team and leadership.
Related: What Happens When You Empower Employees Instead of Micromanage Them?
1. Shared ownership: Invest in the outcome, not just the task
The moment your team feels they own the work, the game changes. They no longer think of the importance in terms of the tasks to be accomplished but the outcome of the tasks to be accomplished. This is not about doing more for them, of course — it is about doing more with them and empowering them to have more control over the final result.
People who are co-owners are more responsible for the management of the organization because they want success to be theirs. You also find that your team becomes more engaged when they are committed to the vision because they feel that they have something to lose. You do not have to monitor them anymore because they are aiming for the same targets as you are anyway. This is a win-win: They feel so productive, and you can sit back and know that they are trying their best.
Actionable insight: The best way to initiate the process is to invite your team to a meeting and describe the general vision of the company’s development. Then, assign each person a primary accountability connected with those outcomes. In this way, they learn that their efforts contribute to corporate success rather than being department or position-specific.
2. Role clarity: Defining responsibilities to create freedom
Uncertainty is never the ally of productivity. When roles and responsibilities are not defined, it becomes hard to avoid confusion, overlapping of duties and deadlines being missed. To avoid this, you must be very specific about who does what. This not only liberates you and your team from constant supervision — it also allows people to take responsibility without tripping over each other.
Accountability and clarity lead to eradicating hindrances in daily work. It helps to make sure that everyone understands their role, the roles of others and what the whole process is for. This leads to less blocking and more confidence because when people know what they are supposed to do, they will do it instead of looking around wondering what they are supposed to do.
Actionable insight: In the case of your team, it is best to create a role matrix that goes beyond titles and identifies actual roles. There should be no crossing over, and it must be clear who is responsible for what. This will help to encourage self-motivation and reduce constant monitoring.
Related: 3 Steps to Help Employees Understand Your Objectives and Expectations
3. Self-sufficient systems: Let the work flow without you
Your business should not need you at every step, at every process, at every decision-making point. On the contrary, the more you can afford not to be involved in the lower level of the team’s work, the better. To do this, you need to create systems — activities that work effectively without your direct engagement. Whether the process is a mechanical one or a set of checklists and protocols, these systems enable work to be executed smoothly without supervision.
Autonomous systems create a culture of self-reliance. Once your team members acquire the right equipment and procedures that enable them to perform their duties efficiently, they do not have to consult you in every decision-making process. This helps to relieve you from making many routine decisions, allowing you to focus on making major decisions about the future of the business while your team carries out minor decisions on a daily basis.
Actionable insight: To begin with, evaluate your existing systems to determine areas where they are most likely to slow down. Where do people always require your permission or direction? It is useful to create clear guidelines and work in a way that enables a team to progress without constantly consulting with someone else.
4. Problem-solution mindset: Solutions, not just problems
The worst thing that your team can do to a business is to present problems without offering any solutions. To trust your team and let go, you have to cultivate a problem-solution mindset. This means moving the culture from just pointing out problems to also suggesting solutions. When your team brings solutions rather than problems, they are demonstrating to you that they have considered the issue and want to fix it. What this doesn’t mean is that you have to relinquish all control — but what it does mean is that you need to empower your team to be able to take ownership. The idea is to create an environment in which people prevent problems from occurring so that when they do happen, they are solved without your intervention.
Actionable insight: It is highly recommended to set a policy whereby any time a team member has seen a problem, he or she must come with at least one solution. Encourage people to present ideas that are innovative or efficient enough to solve the problem. It will help to strengthen the thinking and change the attitude of the company’s personnel to become focused on preventing problems.
5. Accountability loops: Build feedback systems that run themselves
Accountability does not equal pressuring someone. Rather, it is about creating structures within which people can report on their performance and are accountable for it. Accountability loops are frameworks that help your team maintain self-organization, correct mistakes and stay motivated without micromanagement. When accountability loops are established, there is no need to ask whether the job is being done or the deadlines are being met. Your team is fairly autonomous, and you can work on other strategic areas of the company.
Actionable insight: Implement a reporting system in which employees report their activities within the team. This could be weekly or daily status reports or project management tools. The aim is to make it easy for people to see what others are up to and that everyone has an accountability trail without them having to remind you constantly.
Related: Build a Culture of Accountability in 5 Steps
Delegating does not necessarily mean that you are letting go of your responsibilities; instead, it entails transitioning to a different approach in which you foster leadership in your team members. By practicing shared ownership, role definition, creating self-contained systems, promoting problem-solution orientation and establishing accountability cycles, it is possible to let go in a confident manner.
Not only will your business run more smoothly, but you’ll also unlock the full potential of your team, allowing you to focus on what really matters: growth, innovation and sustainable development. The final message is that it is possible to trust others and that it is now time to do so instead of trying to do everything perfectly. Your team will thank you for it — and so will your bottom line.
