Canadian Small Business Women

Connection, Synergy, Community

The Art of Delegation

yvonne

Are you struggling to get as much as possible done in a day? As a leader, entrepreneur or someone in charge of your own work, delegation can be the difference maker in being more successful both in the short and long term. While hours in a day are finite, the things we want done can seem infinite.

I had to recently force myself to delegate some tasks in order to see progress with my goals and growth of my practice. I started the year wanting to accomplish so much, however, come February, I found myself struggling, so I revisited my plan. Come March, I was still struggling, and had to face the fact that I had too many tasks on my plate, and for me to be successful come end of 2014, I would need to either let go of some items, or delegate.

For some, delegating tasks can be a huge task in itself. Perhaps it is our need to hold on to what we consider to be ‘too important’ to let someone else do it, fear it may not be done ‘as good’ as you would, or having experienced failure in delegating work in the past. While some of these reasons may seem valid, once you learn the art of delegating properly, it becomes easier and enables us achieve more in less time. Below are 5 tips to help you delegate more effectively so you can free up more of your time to do what you do best and should be doing.

 

  1. Choose Wisely

When it comes to choosing which tasks to delegate, choose tasks that only you can and should do. In my Mastermind Groups on John Maxwell’s “21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” book, John shares his 3Rs strategy in the Law of Priorities that you can also use. “What Is Required? What Gives The Greatest Return? and What Brings The Greatest Reward?” Get rid of tasks that you can’t do, not interested in doing, or someone can do even 80% as well as you, but brings less reward or return on time invested.

  1. Have a System

Know what, when and who to delegate to. Effectively plan your time daily and in advance so you know what YOU need to do, what other items still need to be done, and by when. Know your team or colleagues well; know their strengths, interests, skills etc. Armed with this knowledge, you are better delegate tasks to the right individuals and at the right time. Other systems include the Pareto 80:20 Principle from John Maxwell, where focusing on the top 20% of your activities will give you 80% of your results.

  1. Empower Your Team and Colleagues

Before delegating, ensure the individual has the ability, is provided clear directions, and has been empowered to use their initiative and make decisions when needed. Start by providing the required training or hiring the right resource after proper interviewing. Spend time with them at the beginning to help ingrain the culture, vision, value and goals; this helps them to more easily take the right actions as needed. Provide clear instructions along with tasks striking that fine balance between being too vague and micro-managing. Be open to the fact they may choose a different route to arrive at the finish line. And be willing to give them the benefit of doubt if not done right the first time.

  1. Balance the Workload

Delegate workload evenly. In many organizations, there are often the few “go-tos” when it comes to task delegation, which can result in these employees becoming overburdened, overworked, and deadlines being missed. Be willing to trust others, and cross-train the team in order to empower more people to deliver and also building a stronger team.

  1. Give Credit When Credit is Due

Always be gracious and thankful when the individual gets the task done, and openly give them credit so that everyone can acknowledge their hard work.  It builds trust, helps them feel valued, and not only will this inspire them to continue to work hard, it will also inspire others to have that same attitude and become more productive.

To learn about Yvonne’s latest book on Changing your Mindset for greater results, visit http://www.oliveblue.com/changeyourmindset/

Yvonne is an Author, Speaker, Change Consultant & John Maxwell Leadership Coach who is passionate about working with Individuals, Entrepreneurs and Organisations to help implement change they want and achieve their goals.   

She can be reached at: www.oliveblue.com . www.facebook.com/oliveblueinc . www.twitter.com/oliveblueinc.www.youtube.com/ChangeYouWantTV

5 reasons you should join a mastermind group

sandra

When I first heard the term mastermind, I was intrigued.  I like the idea of a group of people working together to support one another with their respective goals.  I have participated in masterminds as a facilitator and as a participant.  I have seen and experienced the benefits from both perspectives and I strongly recommend finding one that suits your needs.  Here are 5 reasons why I believe every entrepreneur should be a part of a mastermind group.

  1. We can’t do it alone

    When we try to do it all on our own, we inevitably make painful and often very costly mistakes. Being a part of a mastermind allows us to learn from the mistakes and successes of others.  It also offers us the opportunity to realize that we are not alone in our struggles and challenges.  It’s nice to know that there is life after failure.  It’s even better when you know that you have a group of people that are committed to helping you achieve your goals as you are to them in the pursuit of theirs.

  1. Different minds, different perspectives

    Ideally, you want to be a part of a mastermind group that has varied skill sets, experiences and ways of processing information. You need you left and right brain thinkers at the table.  We can benefit from the creative viewpoint as much as we can the analytical.  Having these different thinkers in the group gives you access to a variety of viewpoints that you may never have considered.  I love the saying that we don’t know what we don’t know because it’s true.  Being part of a mastermind gives you access to the wealth of knowledge held by each participant.

  2. Accountability

    Meetings give each participant a change to update the group on who their week or month has been, depending on the frequency of the meetings. This is where each member celebrates their successes, talks about what’s working and what isn’t and what they commit to accomplishing for the next meeting.  Sharing your commitments holds you accountable to the rest of the group and allows the group the opportunity to offer any help they can in the achievement of your goal.  The magic happens because all of this help and support I s never one-sided.  Reciprocity is the magic ingredient that makes masterminds thrive.

  3. Expand your network in a meaningful way

    Sure Linkedin will show you how wide your network is because of your connections, but what does that really mean? When you’re a part of a mastermind group, you hear A LOT of “I know someone who can help you out with that!”  I don’t know about you, but those words are music to my ears, especially when that connection can help me with something I’ve been wrestling with for a while!  The more time you spend with your group, the better they understand your business and what you need.  Whether it’s someone to help you coordinate your next event or a client referral, your group members are there to support you, just as you are there for them.  Social media is great, but there’s still something to be said for that personal, intimate connection that can only be developed with time.

  4. Awesome camaraderie, support and encouragement

Here’s the thing –when you join a mastermind group, whether it’s a six-month or year-long commitment, you can’t help but develop a strong bond with the other members.  You’re baring your soul, sharing your struggles and celebrating your accomplishments with these people on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis.  When you are committed to the group, the process and each other’s success, the magic really starts to happen.  There are groups that have been going for years, if not decades because they know firsthand that masterminds really do work!

Napoleon Hill, in his book Think and Grow Rich, describes a mastermind group as “a friendly alliance with one or more persons who will encourage one to follow through with plan and purpose.”  He dedicates an entire chapter to the concept in the book for a reason.  Being part of an effective mastermind group can be just what you need to help you take your business exactly where you want it to be, or even further than you ever imagined!

If you’re considering joining a mastermind, then you should definitely think about becoming a Canadian Small Business Women member! I’m pleased to be partnering with CSBW and offering preferred rates on participating in my 6-month mastermind program. For more information on the different membership options, visit the following link. I look forward to achieving massive success with you!

Sandra Dawes is a certified life coach specializing in helping women who feel unfulfilled with their 9-5 follow their dreams and pursue their passions. She holds an Honours BA, an MBA as well as a certificate in Dispute Resolution.She has completed her first book,Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve!

Connect:

www.embraceyourdestiny.ca

www.facebook.com/embraceyourdestiny

www.facebook.com/embraceyourdestinythebook

www.twitter.com/sandradawes

Do you Mastermind? Should you be?

Samantha King

I constantly see images and hear things from other successful business owners about Masterminding, and why I should be doing it.  In fact, this morning I was listening to Michael Stelzner’s podcast, and he and his guest, Jeff Korhan, were talking about the importance of small business owners taking the time to co-operate and collaborate with other small business owners.

When you’re a one man show 90% of the time like me (okay…maybe you have a virtual team member or two), it’s hard to really strategize and set goals because…well…there’s only you.  Gone are the days when you can meet up with your team of co-workers to sit down and hash ideas out…I bet your office doesn’t look like this anymore:

And, so many other things come up, right? You just don’t have time, right? And when it’s just you, it’s easier to not hold yourself as accountable as you do when you know there will be someone else checking up on you.  Sound familiar? I know it does for me.

But the more I’ve been thinking about it, the more I see that this is something I need to make time to do.  Why? Here’s 3 reasons:

  1. I plan and think through things best when I talk through them….to do that I need more than myself.
  2. ACCOUNTABILITY!! I think we all make things a priority when there is someone else in the mix…we just don’t want to let them down.
  3. Fresh ideas…plain and simple.  A fresh set of eyes could be exactly what you need to get out of a rut, bring together a great new campaign/product, or solve a customer problem you’ve been having.

As you can see, the process of collaboration has some very obvious, simple benefits (for me anyway), and I’ll be making it a big part of my business planning and strategizing in 2015.

(Now I’ve just got to find places to meet fellow masterminders…any tips?)

So….do you Mastermind? Why? Why not? If you do, what benefits have you seen? Let us know in the comments!

Samantha King has a passion for working with female entrepreneurs to build the business of their dreams.  Specializing in Branding, Marketing, & Event Planning, she uses her experience in event and marketing co-ordination to work with small business owners on the conceptualization, coordination and execution of their marketing and event projects.  She works with her clients to understand their brand, current marketing strategy, and (most importantly) their dream to help them complete the marketing tasks on their to-do lists that they know they need to do, but don’t have the time to do…and don’t have the budget to hire a full-time inside person to do.
You can reach Samantha directly via email at: iamsamanthaking@gmail.com or connect with her on LinkedIn at: ca.linkedin.com/in/samanthajking

Are you having some fun on your journey?

Uchechi

Wow, it’s crazy how much the year has progressed. Periodically, I like to reflect on my goals and accomplishments and determine where adjustments are needed. What’s come up for me today is the need to enjoy my journey as I reach towards my goals.

Those that know me well know that I always have something on the go, with ideas and programs to develop. However, along with this, is the calling to take time to reflect on my accomplishments and ensure that the journey towards the attainment of my goals in an enjoyable one. Being a wife and a mother of 2 has made this even more essential in my life!

As humans, we are meant to stretch and take on challenges. Most of us don’t always stretch past our comfort zone, which is needed to grow and succeed, but that yearning to be and want more is a human desire that we all have in common. What we tend to do is focus solely on the end goal (destination) that we don’t sit and consider how much growth and accomplishments we’ve had along the way.

Enjoying the journey also includes adding ways to make accomplishing your goals fun and exciting. This is important because at some point, we will get to the part where things start to become difficult or mundane and the beginner’s excitement is gone and we need to work at it to stay inspired and motivated. As business owners, we know this part very well! This is when enjoying the journey and infusing some fun and excitement into it helps to sustain your energy.

It could a relaxing massage for dedicating a full day to business development for your business and gaining more leads. You can also reach out to someone you admire and ask them to mentor you, spending an afternoon at your favourite restaurant ‘picking their brain’. Another great thing is to attend an inspiring event (like Hay House I Can Do It) or join a mastermind group with like-minded people. There are so many ways to add some fun and excitement to the process of reaching your goals. One of the things I personally plan to do in the future is get together with some great ladies and do a wealth creation mastermind that includes a fun day of pampering, yoga, masterminding and talk on personal development.

Yes, there are some tedious and difficult tasks that we must do consistently to turn our dreams into a reality. However, it is equally important to have time to reflect and inject some fun into your life and business. After all, that’s the reason why you established your goals and do the work in the first place. You wanted to share your unique talents and create something that will improve your life and make you happy, while serving others. It’s important to make the effort to enjoy the ride and be happy during the process and not just after the goal is reached. As we all know, once one goal is reached, you will have a need to establish another. Therefore, it truly is all about the journey!

Uchechi Ezurike-Bosse is a Business & Lifestyle Strategist, Speaker and Writer, but most importantly, a proud Mother and Wife. Uchechi is Founder of My Empowered Living (http://www.myempoweredliving.com) a website aimed at helping women shift their mindset and live their passion! Whether it’s starting and building their dream business, or helping them create a lifestyle they crave, Uchechi is the modern woman’s secret to success! Visit Uchechi at www.myempoweredliving.com to get her FREE online video training series The 4 Keys to your Business Success! This free 4-day business training reveals her 4 key strategies needed to build a profitable and successful business, and how to put them to work in your business!

Solopreneurship: reality or illusion?

sandra

I’ve heard the term solopreneur used quite a lot recently, and there was a time when I identified with it.  I am, after all, doing my business solo, am I not?  What I am now realizing is that just because I’m the sole owner of the business, it doesn’t mean that I’m really doing it “on my own”.

Whether it’s the business coaches I’ve worked with, colleagues I’ve masterminded with or the team that I worked with to have my logo designed, there is no way I can say that this has been a solo endeavour.  Not to mention the love and support of friends and family along the way!  My first workshop, ice storm ridden book launch parties and even my very first client wouldn’t have been possible without my support network.

When you don’t have regular employees, it can be very easy to feel isolated and have the mistaken belief that you have to figure out everything on your own, but this isn’t the case.  I know from personal experience that it isn’t always easy to ask for help.  Many of us consider reaching out to others to be a sign of weakness, but this isn’t true at all.  The truth of the matter is that it is impossible to know everything there is to know about your business, never mind be capable of doing it all!

We need to be honest with ourselves about what our strengths and weaknesses are, as well as be aware of what activities generate revenue and those that don’t.  You don’t want to be spending your time doing things you find difficult or challenging if it’s not making you any money!  Hire people to do the things that aren’t revenue generators and focus your time and energy on making that money!

As entrepreneurs and small business owners we can fall into the trap of believing that we’re saving money by doing everything on our own, but that isn’t necessarily the case.  We can be missing out on the opportunity to generate significantly more revenue in our businesses if we focus our energy on doing what we do best and hire others to do the same for us.  Being the sole owner of a business doesn’t mean that we have to do it all on our own.  It means that we must be willing and able to build a team we trust and delegate as needed so that we can provide the best service to our clients!

Sandra Dawes is a certified life coach specializing in helping women who feel unfulfilled with their 9-5 follow their dreams and pursue their passions. She holds an Honours BA, an MBA as well as a certificate in Dispute Resolution.She has completed her first book,Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve!

Connect: 
www.embraceyourdestiny.ca
www.facebook.com/embraceyourdestiny

www.facebook.com/embraceyourdestinythebook
www.twitter.com/sandradawes

Establishing your dream team

sandra

Entrepreneurship can be lonely. Especially if you’re a solopreneur like me! You can be left feeling very isolated from the rest of the world, and if you work from home, it can make things that much more challenging. That’s why attending networking events is great. It’s an opportunity to get out of the house and connect with people in the flesh rather than doing it through social media from the comfort of your own home.

Sometimes, however, networking isn’t enough. When you’re at a networking event, there isn’t usually enough time to talk to someone about the challenges you may be facing and seek guidance on how to overcome them. Let’s face it; most of us are wearing a mask of some sort when we’re at networking events. I don’t think I’ve never heard anyone at an event talking much about what isn’t working in their business. Everyone’s “really busy” and business always seems to be “great!”

So if networking events aren’t the place to talk about the challenges and obstacles you’re facing, where can you go? I’m lucky to have entrepreneurs in my circle of friends that I can talk to, but that’s not always enough. Mastermind groups are a great way to establish a formal team where each member supports one another in the pursuit of their business or professional goals (or both), a sounding board for ideas and a knowledge bank when difficulties arise.

If you’ve read the book Think and Grow Rich you know that a mastermind is what happens when 2 or more people come together for a common purpose. A mastermind group is like your personal board of directors. It’s about bringing the skills and knowledge that you don’t have to the table so that each member has something to contribute and can benefit from the knowledge at the table as well.

Creating a successful mastermind group can be a challenge. Everyone has hectic schedules these days and finding people who are willing and able to commit to meeting on a regular basis isn’t always easy. The mastermind group also has to be a conflict free forum. There can’t be competitors in the same group and everyone should be asked to complete a non-disclosure form. You want the members of the group to feel safe to share whatever they want and need to in order to help them and the rest of the team achieve their goals.

Putting together your dream team won’t necessarily be an easy task; however, once you have that team together, you’ll be amazed at the magic that takes place. The reality is that we can’t do it all on our own. As cliché as it may sound, the reality is that we don’t know what we don’t know. Putting together a team of colleagues with expertise that you each can benefit from accessing allows you to get varying perspectives. The team will ask questions you never considered, offer opportunities you didn’t even know existed, or have access to people you need to connect with.

“No two minds ever come together without a third invisible force, which may be likened to a “third mind”. When a group of individual minds are coordinated and function in harmony, the increased energy created through that alliance becomes available to every individual in the group.” ~ Napoleon Hill

If you’re interested in becoming part of a mastermind group, contact me for more information!

Sandra Dawes is a certified life coach specializing in helping women who feel unfulfilled with their 9-5 follow their dreams and pursue their passions. She holds an Honours BA, an MBA as well as a certificate in Dispute Resolution.She has completed her first book,Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve!

Connect: 
www.embraceyourdestiny.ca
www.facebook.com/embraceyourdestiny

www.facebook.com/embraceyourdestinythebook
www.twitter.com/sandradawes