None of us know exactly how long the party of life will go on for… One thing I am certain about, is that nobody lay on their deathbed wishing they had spent more time organising their taxes. In fact, there is a whole list of things we all do that will appear senseless when we look back. So, how do we free ourselves?
In Blog #001, I shared a tool on how to prioritise. It is not the whole answer though. I know that I must file my taxes and that it is important. I simply don’t want to invest my time doing them.
I treat the processes of Delegating, Automating and Outsourcing (DAO) the same. The following six steps will work in each case. The purpose of the process is getting a task completed to your satisfaction with your minimum of effort.
Take stock now of the tasks that you do not like, or do not want to do. They are typically tasks that you have been avoiding for a while. Don’t worry, we all have them. I adopted the phrase “shit-list” from a former colleague.
Step 1: Choose a task.
If you are new to the DAO game, then do not rush this part. There are 4 factors I would urge you to take time to consider;
How easy a task is it to delegate, automate or outsource?
How much time would the task take you to do it?
How often does the task occur?
What is your level of discomfort with the task?
The best choice is a task that you think will be relatively easy to DAO, occurs regularly, is time consuming and you are uncomfortable doing it. If you have a long list of tasks of this type, then I suggest that you should consider finding a coach.
Step 2: Choose a victim. Sorry, I couldn’t resist. What I mean to say is… Think about who (or what) you could delegate, automate or outsource to?
Delegating means entrusting another person with a task or responsibility, traditionally someone less senior in your organisation. Do not be afraid to delegate upwards, or sideways for that matter. Do not be restricted to your organisation either. Delegating works best for simpler tasks.
Automating on the other hand, involves no people. Automating is a process of completing a task through a machine, or increasingly software. Automating works best for repetitive tasks.
Outsourcing means getting a task completed by contract from an outside supplier. If it is a critical task, even here I take the delegating approach. I want to know who specifically I am entrusting with the task and will take responsibility. Outsourcing can work well for all tasks if you find the right partner(s).
Assessing the probability it might work, comes down to competence. Competence is made up of capability i.e. proof of ability, and capacity i.e. proof of time/resources. It is no good to have the best person take on your task if they have no time to do it. Equally if there is machine sat waiting to make bread, it’s no good if your task is making golf balls.
Whilst I was joking when I said “victim” at the start of this step. This is the step where the seeds of failure are most often sewn. The times I have heard people blame colleagues, suppliers and machines (usually computers) for failure is shocking. It can take many times the effort to repair a poor choice than taking the time and effort to make a competent choice.
How do you delegate or outsource a task you have not done before? The answer is find three people or businesses that have done it before, and they will tell you all about it. Reach out to your network, put an invitation to tender out, or get 3 quotes. You will learn fast, I promise.
Step 3: Ask, what are the benefits for me?
Occasionally I have worked with people who struggle with this question. If that is you. Try asking, what is the cost I am avoiding when I delegate/automate/outsource this task? If nothing else, getting the task off your list is a starting point, or stopping the sinking feeling you feel when you think about tackling it.
If your answer is something mundane; for example, because my boss told me to do it. Ask, what will that do for me? You may need to do this several times before you get to a suitably motivating answer. If there really is no benefit, then don’t DAO.
Step 4: What are the benefits for the other party?
Putting yourself in the minds of others is tricky. It is much better to just ask.
Step 5: Create a plan
Capture WHAT steps are required to delegate, automate or outsource the task.
For each step, plan WHO, WHERE and WHEN. Consider using the “I do, we do, you do” approach. I do - the other party observes you doing the task. We do – involves working on the task together. You do – means you observing the other party doing the task and ideally signing off the result.
Decide HOW you will measure progress against the plan.
Agree or modify the plan with the other party.
Step 6: Review progress against the plan regularly
Depending on the scale and complexity of the task, the review might be hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly.
I have used these six steps to outsource whole departments, automate lead generation and make sure my finances are taken care of. What will you use them for? I would love to know…
Be happy, healthy and helpful
Paul
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