Know When It’s Time to Delegate

Nick Terket — December 12, 2016

Passing the baton is a very critical moment in the growth of a company. Knowing whom to delegate to and when to delegate are critical decisions. (iStockphoto)

As an accounts representative, I speak to hundreds of companies a month, just like yours, all at various stages of implementing on-hold messaging. Some larger corporations have marketing departments in place, clearly defining who makes the decisions concerning on-hold marketing.

Some medium-sized corporations still make the decisions at the “top,” then they delegate the process to someone who implements all the marketing decisions.

Smaller companies tend to have one person, often the owner, who handles everything. We discuss demo concepts and pricing, and then they work with our Customer Service team to select the proper imaging components like voice and music which bring their on hold branding to life.

I have seen some companies, though, in a type of limbo that emanates out of their success. These companies usually start small, and the owner or general manager does it all in the beginning. But after a quick growth spurt, that leader can get stuck continuing to micro-manage the daily operation. This can be dangerous to your bottom line. It simply means it’s time to delegate.

Ronald Reagan once said “Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don’t interfere as long as the policy you’ve decided upon is being carried out.” As a business owner, if you find yourself trying to juggle an endless stream of projects that are tying you up long after the work day ends, you might have a problem. There are only so many hours in the day, and you are not only going to max yourself out, but your business as well.

You have surrounded yourself with the employees you have chosen for a reason. Let them live up to their potential. If someone is more creative, let them help with the marketing. If they are analytical, let them have more control with inventory. And so on.

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