Delegating is an art. Make it a habit.

For people who have too much to do, it's very often the case that they're trying to do everything themselves. Delegation is one of the most important business skills a person can have, but many folks simply aren't comfortable with it. The reasons I usually hear are...

1. It would take so long to explain it to someone else, I may as well just do it  myself.
2. I need to do it myself because it's important and I can't risk someone messing it up.
3. I hate for people to think I'm dumping the "crud work" on them.
4. The only person I have available to give work to is such a pain in the neck, I dread having to deal with him/her.
5. I don't have anyone to delegate to. (Ed note: Sometimes I do ended sentences in prepositions.)

Let's take these one at a time. As we go through these, I understand that the very process of implementing some of these ideas is going to add to the already excessive amount of work to be done. But only for a short time.

Consider it the storm before the calm. Like painting a room that's already full of stuff. Sure, you have to decide on a paint color, buy supplies, clear out the room, tape off the woodwork, paint the room, clean up and put everything back. But then you're done for a long time and you have a room that's inviting rather than one the previous owner painted baby poop green. A little extra work now pays off in the long run.

1. I may as well just do it  myself.
   If there is no process to follow, or if the process is too complicated to communicate, you'll be stuck doing this task forever. First, if there is no process, develop one. It may be two steps, but know what the steps are and document them. If a process is in place, think about whether its pared down to its simplest form. Does it have to be as complicated as it currently is? If you simplify the process and document how it's done, you'll have a training document you can share with anyone who might be able take over the task if you have a staff change.
2. I can't risk someone messing it up.
   This may be a sign of an ego, or may be sign that marginal people have been hired in support roles. Certainly, if you're charged with bringing in a sale and you're the expert, you'd be foolish to let someone present for you. But if you need to gather research on that prospect, or need presentations copied and bound, you should be able to pass those tasks along. People will often rise to whatever expectation you set. If you assume they'll mess it up, they may just hate to disappoint you. 
3. I hate to dump crud work.
   Just because you hate some tasks doesn't mean everyone does. If anyone asked you whether every role in a company is important, regardless of title, salary or size of office, you'd probably answer, "Of course every job is important!" Some of the people who do these tasks you don't like might think the tasks you have to do are pretty awful, too. And if you do have to give someone an assignment you both agree stinks, you can always do something nice for them occasionally to show your appreciation.
4. I dread having to deal with him/her.
   Hmm. How can I put this delicately? Oh, I know. Get over it. This nasty-attitude person has you right where they want you -- afraid to ask them to do work. Ideally you should have a conversation about your perception of their attitude. Not an angry, accusatory conversation, but a dialog about how you might work together more effectively. If this person is simply not having it and you're not in a position to get someone to replace them, then ignore the bad attitude and go on with your work. What you're asking them to do is their job. Neither of you should feel bad about that.
5. No one to delegate to.
   If you work in a small business or large corporation, it may be that staffing is an issue and there are not enough people to do the work that needs to be done. This is the time to do your homework,figure out exactly what you need and take that need to management. I can completely understand management's reticence to hire someone to help you if you can't articulate exactly what this person will do and how it will ultimately benefit the bottom line.
   
   If you are a sole proprietor, you simply must get better at allowing others to do what they do best so you can focus on what drives your revenue. Unless you are a web designer, hire one. Unless you're a marketing expert, consult with one to develop a solid plan. Rather than spending hours entering business card information (even using a card scanner requires the labor of checking for accuracy) hire a virtual or part-time assistant to handle administrative tasks and database management. While we sole proprietors have responsibility for everything, we also have the freedom to choose what we do and what we hire others to do. Certainly budget is a consideration, but a business can't survive if the owner is doing data entry instead of bringing in money.

More later...