WORKWEEK

As we discussed last week, the Eisenhower Matrix is a great tool for identifying tasks that are ideal to handoff.

As a rule of thumb, any tasks that are urgent but not important (Quadrant 3), and not reliant on your specific skills, are prime for delegation. For most sales leaders, this includes general administrative tasks, territory management and routine data analysis.

My general approach is to apply the 70% rule to any task I have in mind. If I believe that someone else can complete the task to at least 70% of the level I can, then I will delegate it.

The goal here is not to chase perfection, but progress. Opt for efficiency whilst matching the task being delegated with the team member’s capabilities.

ROI On Your Time Is Everything

As sales leaders, one of the most precious resources we have is our time. Every minute we spend doing work that others could be doing is a minute we can’t spend on our highest value activities. Delegation allows us to focus our energy where it really counts.

But handing off tasks isn’t always straightforward. I’ve found that having an intentional system for effective delegation is crucial to making it sustainable. Based on both my experience and observations from other successful leaders, here is a simple 5-level system for handing-off responsibilities:

Level 1 – Peripheral Role: Give team members a limited, assisting role in a task.

Level 2 – Solution Involvement: Involve team in coming up with solutions, but you make the final call.

Level 3 – Green Light to Execute: Give the team the go-ahead to fully execute, but check-in before finalizing.

Level 4 – Inform on Decisions: Team executes independently, and informs you of decisions made.

Level 5 – 100% Ownership: Team member owns the entire task end-to-end.

Starting delegation at Level 1 builds trust and capabilities. As team members demonstrate readiness, you increase levels of autonomy. Like any skill, it takes practice on both sides. But done right, it’s a win-win.

Next Week: Driving Focus

Now that we have a proven framework to delegate effectively, next week we will unpack how to harness the power of focus to mitigate distractions whilst maximising operational efficiency. AKA, the “Delete” quadrant of the Eisenhower Power Matrix.