Here's how you can conquer the fear of delegation in business networking.

Delegation can be daunting, especially in business networking, where personal connections often feel irreplaceable. However, conquering this fear is vital for growth and efficiency. Start by recognizing that delegation is not a sign of weakness but a strategic move to leverage diverse skills within your team. Trusting others with tasks allows you to focus on high-level networking opportunities and strategic planning. Clearly communicate your expectations and provide the necessary resources and guidance. Regular check-ins can ensure alignment and address any concerns. By delegating effectively, you enhance productivity and foster a collaborative environment, ultimately strengthening your network.

Send a personalized message—mention something specific from your chat. Offer value, like an article or contact, to show you're invested. Keep it short and sweet; respect their time. Schedule a coffee or virtual meet-up to deepen the connection. ☕📧

Start Small: Begin by delegating smaller tasks or responsibilities to build confidence in others' abilities. Clear Communication: Communicate expectations, goals, and deadlines to ensure clarity and alignment.

Baby Steps: Begin by delegating small tasks that are less critical to your business. Start with small & clear Expectations: Clearly communicate what needs to be done, including deadlines, desired outcomes, and any specific instructions. Picking up the Right Person or team that is task specific: Select individuals who have the skills and capabilities to handle the delegated task effectively. Be supportive and provide adequate and necessary resources only: Offer necessary support, resources, and guidance to the person you're delegating to. Build Trust: Start by delegating smaller responsibilities and gradually increase as trust develops. Accept Imperfections and failures: Understand that mistakes may happen, especially initially.

Trust and communication are core in achieving almost anything (that you won't be arrested for). I would also suggest you try to understand why you experience fear of delegation. Having a good, solid process is a good way to break down fear. Trust the process. It will help you build trust with the people you need, or want to delegate to. Build faith in others, but they also need to have faith in you that you're not just dumping your work on them.

In the early days of Markman Media, I was hesitant to delegate tasks, fearing that others wouldn't match my standards. However, I soon realised that building trust was essential. I started by delegating smaller tasks and providing clear guidelines. Over time, I found that my team members often exceeded my expectations, and this built a strong foundation of trust.

Clear communication is vital in most activities. For delegation, like with projects, think about Owners, Deliverables and Timelines. With delegation, it helps to show motive too - why are you delegating this? It could be to share the workload, or because someone else is the expert, or because you need to focus on other things. In my experience, the more you help the other person understand your need to delegate, the better. Helping them see their part in the overall success is good too.

Clear communication was a game-changer for me. I learned that when I articulate my expectations and provide the necessary resources, my team delivers outstanding results. For instance, when preparing for a major client presentation, I communicated every detail and ensured my team had all they needed to succeed.

Recognising and leveraging the strengths of my team members has been invaluable. By assigning tasks aligned with their skills and interests, I not only eased my workload but also boosted their morale and productivity. For instance, assigning a team member with a knack for design to lead a branding project led to exceptional results.

Micro-managing is one of the worst things you can do as a leader. If you're delegating something, that makes you the leader. Don't micro-manage. Very few people thrive under that. Wherever possible, challenge the delegate to find other ways to achieve the goal. This of course requires you to share the goal. That is outcome-based working. If they can get the outcome you need in an innovative (and better) way, then you all win. If the delegate needs guidance, try to provide that as coaching, not orders. "If I was in your position, I might try" versus "you need to do it like this".

Initially, I found it hard to step back and give my team autonomy. However, I realised that autonomy fosters innovation and accountability. Allowing team members to take ownership of their tasks led to creative solutions I hadn't considered. For instance, when I gave a team member the autonomy to manage a social media campaign, they implemented strategies that significantly increased our engagement.

Delegating tasks always carries some risk, but managing these risks effectively is key. I implemented a system where critical tasks had checkpoints and reviews. This approach allowed me to catch potential issues early without micromanaging. For example, during a major marketing campaign, regular check-ins ensured we stayed on track and addressed issues promptly.

Risk Management is linked directly to the clear comms at the beginning. The clearer the requirement, timelines and ownership were at the beginning, the more chance you have of spotting and dealing with something not being right later on. Good risk management is about ensuring you all get to the goal on time, not about figuring out who to blame.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is the importance of aligning delegated tasks with the overall business goals. For instance, during a crucial growth phase, I ensured every delegated task directly contributed to our strategic objectives. This alignment ensured that our efforts were cohesive and impactful.