Effective Delegation Guarantees Early Response

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Effective Delegation Guarantees Early Response

By Admin | May 19, 2008 -->426 views

Delegation is known as assigning and accepting someone else’s co-operation to do your work, in part or full, which ever fits best within your priority. However, delegation of tasks strikes one’s mind only when one is overwhelmed by the quantum of work that is placed on the desk. This should not be the case and will eventually result in ineffective delegation of tasks. And, ineffective delegation cannot guarantee effective results. Unlike any other business proposal, the key to effective delegation also lies in the planning involved. Take time to plan and list out the every-day, mundane, repetitive tasks. An hour spent on planning and preparation saves 2 days in execution of the same.

Phase 1 – Put things to paper – Prepare list of tasks

Phase 2 – Identify and prioritise each task.

Phase 3 – Effective way to identify your personal VA

Phase 4 –Last lap…. Complete Project proposal

Phase 1 – Put things to paper – Prepare list of tasks
Define each task with respect to

Objective of the task
What is expected on completion of the task
Turn around time (or) approximately when you would like to see the task completed.

Remember, you will be delegating these tasks to someone who is from a different time zone as you are. So it’s only sensible that you allow atlesst 24 hrs ie 1 business day for your Virtual Assistant to respond. Also, set realistic time frame for completion of task. If you cannot do the task within 5 hrs, it is not fair to expect your Virtual Assistant to do the same in 3 hours.

Phase 2 - Identify and prioritize each task.
Now armed with a complete list of tasks fit for delegation, its time to arrange them in order and prioritise them. Some tasks are time bound; hence it is imperative that you prioritise them based on the deadline on which they are expected to be delivered. While some are not-so-time bound, but nevertheless important and cannot be put aside to be done on a later date, such as keeping your financial records in order so that when the time comes, its easy to locate and organise them accordingly at a short notice, without any hassles. There are certain other tasks that might not be directly affecting your immediate business activities, but you would like to execute them so that it boosts other aspects of your business. These strongly depend on the perspective and vision of your business.

Phase 3 – Classify the task
Every business has a myriad of activities progressing in harmony. We witness this everyday in our office. Every department has to work in tandem with every other department in the office to ensure smooth running of the business and thereby add value to the productivity and growth prospects. The same concept holds true for your virtual work force too. So, to effectively identify THE Virtual Assistant most suited for the task, you must be able to classify each task in your list. Eg:- It is not only unwise, but also stupid to assign a logo design job to a programmer
In order to effectively classify the task at hand, just follow these simple guidelines

Describe the nature of the task in not more than 3-5 words. ( Graphic design , accountant , Sales promotion , Marketing etc). This will help you narrow down the skills of the Virtual Assistant you are seeking from an overwhelming “so-many” to … “some-of-them”.
Project Proposal -Provide specific parameters outlining the task (eg:, if it’s a graphic design, specify the width , height , colour combinations preferred , etc… similarly use parameters that are specific to the nature of the task. These will be the pointers to your virtual assistant. More detailed and specific, better and accurate results can be expected. Brevity is not better here.
Make it a point to emphasise on the type if deliverable you require (pdf, ppt , pps , doc , xls, gif, psd, jpeg)
Remember, technology is only as good as we put it to use. If you have chat ID’s of the several instant messengers (Yahoo, Skype, Msn, gTalk ), include them in your project proposal. This will ensure early response from your prospective Virtual Assistant. This also gives you a chance to interact with the candidate on a real time basis and request any clarifications that you might have.

Phase 4 :-Last lap…. Complete Project proposal
By now you must be already having a well organised list of all those tasks that can be delegated, with appropriate instructions, while you use the time gained towards the productive aspects of your business.

Now, its time to run a check on the information that need to be included in the project proposal so that , your task stand out as in the “must do this” category for the Virtual Assistant.

How do you classify this task? ( Graphic design , accountant , Sales promotion , Marketing etc)
What is the end result you require on completion of this task?
Detailed project description (outlining the parameters involved - results expected – approximate time for completion – deliverables etc)
In addition to your location, also mention the time zone (eastern, pacific, GMT +/- etc). This saves time and misunderstandings that arise due to lack of timely communication.
Make sure you mention your Instant messenger Chat ID and the most suitable time during the day (weekday / weekend) for an informal chat session. You wouldn’t want the Virtual assistant to pop up a chat window while you are discussing over a presentation.
Last but not the least, place your request for any details that you might require from the Virtual Assistant and assure that both of you have an open communication.

Short and ambiguous project proposals take several emails over the time till a complete objective and expectation of result is achieved with the virtual assistant. This no doubt delays the commencement of the project, further delaying the delivery of the result. But, If you wish to avoid all such hassles and unforeseen delays in the commencement of your project, adhering to the above tips will guarantee early confirmation and commencement of your project.

With the communication established early on, with your virtual assistant (or) assistants, through your detailed project proposal, you will notice how smoothly and quickly the project proceeds towards completion.

Other Readings:-
How to Delegate to Save Time
Too Much To Do: Four Keys to Effective Delegating
Delegate to Win

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