You finally did it; you took the leap and added a virtual assistant to your team. Yay! But what's next? How do you start sharing your task list? You must learn how to delegate effectively to get the most value out of your VA. Many private practice owners find themselves struggling to keep up with many moving parts in the business, so that is where the VA comes in. When you get good at delegating tasks, you can free up your time and concentrate on what you're best at.
Delegating 101 📝
Delegating tasks is an entire process that requires careful consideration from start to finish. It involves identifying the right tasks to delegate, selecting the right people, providing clear instructions and guidelines, and ensuring the necessary resources are available. The only part left to finish off the process is the follow-up. And that, my friend, is how your practice will thrive. Business success is not a secret; it's a system.
Put the missing pieces together 🧩
Delegating tasks is an entire process that requires careful consideration from start to finish. It involves identifying the right tasks to delegate, selecting the right people, providing clear instructions and guidelines, and ensuring the necessary resources are available. The only part left to finish off the process is the follow-up. And that, my friend, is how your practice will thrive. Business success is not a secret; it's a system.
"Business success is not a secret; it’s a system."
Adding a qualified virtual assistant to answer your prayers is one step of the puzzle, but the other missing piece is making sure you can delegate effectively. Are you providing all the details within the task to make sure the virtual assistant is set up for success? If you have a hard time with this, remember RAD: Resources, Access & Deadlines.
Here's what I mean: ✅
-Ask yourself... what's the deadline for the task? Is it urgent? Do I need it by the end of the day?
-Resources? What information can you provide to ensure the VA clearly understands the task?
-Access? Does the VA have access to the tools needed to complete the task?
Let's see how this works: Here's a task delegated with and without RAD.
⭐️Good:
Kim, please follow up with the waitlist clients and request intake paperwork.
⭐️⭐️ Better:
Hey Kim, please follow up with the waitlist clients and request intake paperwork. It would be great if we can have it done by the end of this week.
⭐️⭐️⭐️BEST:
Best Hey Kim, can you please follow up with the waitlist clients in Simple Practice and request intake paperwork? Go ahead and reach out through our admin email address since they didn't reply from simple practice. Remove them from the waitlist if they don't respond in 3-4 days. For the clients that provide the paperwork, Let's get them scheduled.
Notice how none of the tasks were delegated wrong, but the last task delegated was a lot more detailed. The best delegation included deadlines,(firm dates) access ( Simple Practice), and resources ( client details). Kim knows exactly what is needed to complete this task from start to finish.
The Results
As you and your virtual assistant continue to work together, the relationship builds, and tasks will become almost 2nd nature for your assistant. They learn your delegation habits. You will notice that all tasks don't require deadlines, access, and resources because they have learned your delegation tasks/habits for your practice.
It's time for you to practice these simple and effective steps when outsourcing your next task. Once you adjust your delegation habit, it will become second nature to you. Before you know it, your workdays will become more productive. Can you think of a task that you are ready to delegate effectively? What is your biggest takeaway from this? Don't be shy; share your thoughts in the comments below.
Now go be great! I'm rooting for you.
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