What do you do if you're unsure which tasks to delegate in brand strategy?

1 Why delegate?

Delegation is not just a way to save time and reduce your workload. It's also a way to empower your team, leverage their strengths, and foster collaboration and creativity. By delegating tasks that are not essential for your role, you can focus on the strategic aspects of brand strategy, such as vision, positioning, and differentiation. You can also create opportunities for your team members to grow, learn, and contribute to the brand's success.

2 What to delegate?

The first step to effective delegation is to identify which tasks are suitable for delegation and which are not. A useful framework to apply is the Eisenhower matrix, which categorizes tasks based on their urgency and importance. According to this matrix, you should delegate tasks that are urgent but not important, such as administrative, operational, or routine tasks. These tasks are often time-consuming and distracting, but they don't require your expertise or judgment. Examples of such tasks are scheduling meetings, updating databases, or creating reports.

3 How to delegate?

Once you've decided which tasks to delegate, you need to choose the right person or team to delegate them to. Ideally, you should delegate tasks to someone who has the skills, knowledge, and interest to complete them well. You should also consider the workload, availability, and goals of the person or team you're delegating to. You don't want to overwhelm them with too many or too complex tasks, or assign them tasks that are irrelevant or demotivating for them. Examples of factors to consider are their experience, personality, learning style, and feedback.

4 When to delegate?

The timing of delegation is also important. You don't want to delegate tasks too early or too late. If you delegate too early, you might not have enough clarity or direction to communicate the task effectively. If you delegate too late, you might not give enough time or support to the person or team you're delegating to. A good rule of thumb is to delegate tasks as soon as you have a clear idea of what you want to achieve, why, and how. You should also delegate tasks well before the deadline, so that you can monitor the progress, provide feedback, and make adjustments if needed.

5 What to avoid?

When delegating tasks, it's important to avoid some common mistakes that can damage your brand strategy. Micromanaging can lead to frustration and resentment, while abdicating can cause confusion and mistakes. Additionally, over-delegating too many or too critical tasks without keeping enough responsibility for yourself can lead to a loss of control, quality, and reputation. To ensure successful delegation, it's important to give autonomy and trust to the person or team you're delegating to, provide guidance and feedback, and keep some responsibility and accountability for yourself.

6 How to improve?

Delegation is an invaluable skill for brand strategy that can be improved with practice and feedback. To enhance your delegation skills and outcomes, it is important to communicate clearly by using SMART goals to set clear and realistic standards. Additionally, you should empower and motivate the person or team you're delegating to, giving them flexibility and creativity to complete the task their way. Furthermore, it's essential to monitor and support the progress of the task, providing constructive feedback and guidance when needed. Finally, be ready to adjust or re-delegate the task if necessary. With these tips in mind, you can delegate tasks more effectively and efficiently, leading to better brand strategy results.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?