by David Andrew Wiebe | Mar 11, 2023 | Operations
Stopping to create procedures will appear a waste of time at first.
In the time it takes to document a new procedure, you could have the task done already.
But that’s not the point.
The point is that while you may need to perform the task many times, you will only need to document it once.
Sure, the document may need to be updated from time to time. But that won’t take anywhere near as long as it did to create it in the first place.
Further, by the time you’ve documented a task, you can delegate it and have someone else handle it. You can free up time in your own schedule to focus on what you do best.
In systems, there’s always a short-term sacrifice for a long-term payoff. From a zoomed-out perspective, building a team is effectively the same way – there’s a short-term sacrifice for a long-term result.
by David Andrew Wiebe | Nov 12, 2021 | Creativity
Some things in your music career can be delegated. If you’re reluctant to give something up, and it isn’t practical to automate it, then there is the chance that delegation would work for you.
Delegation is sometimes thought of as a form of automation, and I can’t argue that point. But it’s human automation, and to that extent, you need to be clear that there’s a real person working on the tasks you’ve given them, and like all people, they have needs. They like to be rewarded and acknowledged for their work, and they want to be treated well.
But I’ve never been too quick to define delegation as giving tasks to your employees (or virtual assistant) to complete them. Let’s face it – there are a lot of people that could be helping you with your career activity. Many people are just waiting for the call! And if you don’t believe me, go make some calls now. The reading will wait.
I’ve already talked about how my team works with me without financial incentive. Now, there are other benefits and incentives for my team members, and it’s not my long-term plan, but the yearlong leadership program I’m taking requires that I create teams around everything I do in life, and so far, this is what it has looked like.
I’ve had team members schedule tweets, find contact information for podcasters (so we could pitch them), make graphics, write articles and press releases, feature me on their blogs, and more.
What activities could you be delegating to your team?
Scheduling Facebook posts? Bookkeeping? Sending out weekly emails to your fans?
Assuming you trust the person, you’re working with, and they’re willing to help, you can delegate just about anything!
Of course, delegation works no matter what form your team takes. You just need to train your team members and offer support as needed.
Delegating tasks might seem scary at first. But it’s an important step in developing your leadership, and I believe every musician should experience what it feels like to delegate a task to another.
