Delegate to Elevate Your Church Leadership

[From our Partners at Belay Solutions]

Church leaders have extraordinary demands on their time, with responsibilities as urgent and varied as those of a Fortune 500 CEO – with significantly fewer resources.

And if you’re a church leader, there’s likely one of you for countless church members and employees, all of whom need your help, direction, time and energy – things you may not have to spare.

This, then, begs the question: When is it time to delegate? 

Is it when you’re sacrificing sleep to get more things done? Is it when you’re deafened by a cacophony of ‘pings’ from your phone, tablet, computer – and more? Is it when you’re drowning in mounds of paperwork?

The short answer is a resounding ‘YES!’ The long answer is more like a ‘YES! How have you gone this long without delegating?! You’re just one person.’

But surprisingly, this question nags all leaders.

Why? 

Because they reason with themselves that they should wait until someone else can complete the tasks exactly as they would. So they wait … and wait … and wa– oh, forget it. ‘I’ll just do it myself.’

Sound familiar?

Here, we’ll share an excerpt from our latest book, Delegate to Elevate, to help you up your delegation game and get you back to what only you can do: Shepherding those God has brought through your doors.

Delegation Part 1: The Question

But smart – and efficient – church leaders adopt the ‘70 percent rule.’ Simply put, the 70 percent rule says that ‘ … if the person the leader would like to perform the task can do it at least 70 percent as well as they can, they should delegate it.’

Sure, it will prove difficult to accept that the task won't be done exactly as you would do it and with the same degree of (perceived) perfection. But you know what it will be? DONE. And sometimes, that’s really what matters most.

And after you’ve asked yourself, ‘Can this person do this task 70 percent as well as I could?,’ you’re ready for part two.

Delegation Part 2: The Audit

The Harvard Business Review takes it one step further, suggesting leaders break down delegatable tasks into six divide-and-conquer categories as follows for more effective and efficient completion:

Tiny. Small, seemingly inconsequential tasks are easy to put off – but they add up. They aren’t necessarily important or urgent, and often only take a few minutes.

Tedious. Tedious tasks – like repetitive data entry – are typically relatively simple but often not the best use of your time – and could, therefore, be handled by someone else.

Time-Consuming. Time-consuming tasks are often important and complex. As such, you could delegate 80 percent of the research and execution and then assume responsibility for the final 20 percent to give approval.

Teachable. These tasks may initially seem difficult but can be delegated once you’ve taught the basics. And like time-consuming tasks, you will assume responsibility by providing quality checks and final approval in the end. 

Terrible At. Know your weaknesses – and delegate them. The devil’s in the details so as HBR.com so succinctly explains, ‘ … there is someone out there who can delight in the devil of your details.’ Find them.

Time-Sensitive. When a time-sensitive task enters the mix, competing with other priorities, there often isn’t enough time to do them all at once. Delegate time-sensitive tasks so you can focus on project-based deadlines. 

Focus On What Only You Can Do. Give The Rest Away.

Ultimately, that’s what should play on a loop in your head, all day, every day. ‘Am I the only one who can do this?’ 

And are you really, truly the only one – or just the (arguably) best one? That’s the critical differentiator. 

The 70-percent rule will take time to accept and will likely prove difficult to adopt, but something completed 70 percent to your standards – at worst – is still complete. And BONUS! You’ll still get that gratifying jolt of dopamine as you cross that task – and countless others – off your to-do list. 

And with BELAY, we have 1,500+ contractors who are ready, willing and able right now at this exact moment to help you and your church grow.

Without further ado, your top-quality talent pool just grew exponentially with … 

Virtual Assistants

Our Virtual Assistants are dedicated professionals who bring experience and expertise to everyone they serve with a knack for being resourceful, helpful and proactive, and a gift for organization, planning and problem-solving.

Bookkeepers

Most people don’t love spreadsheets – but some do. For those who don’t, our Bookkeepers can provide clear, simple and updated financial information, tax filing services, and e-commerce support so you make better decisions.

Social Media Managers

These are professionals who live and breathe social media. We’re talking people for whom every ping, ding and red-badge notification gives them anticipatory butterflies as they eagerly engage with your clients – and future clients – online. 

Website Specialists

Your website should be your most profitable asset, not your most painful. Make prospective customers happy – and convert them to actual customers with a powerful website that can position both you and your company as the solution your prospects need. 

Stop Settling. Start Hiring.

BELAY has the right person ready to help you grow your church through the powerful, multiplying effects of delegation – and all without the added stress of having to do everything on your own. 

And to help you start delegating, we’re offering a free download of ‘Delegate To Elevate: Accomplish More By Juggling Less’ today so you can reap the benefits of delegating tomorrow – and every day thereafter.

About BELAY

Most leaders struggle to staff with the right people as they grow. They need a team, but let’s face it – hiring is complicated. Not anymore. Because whether you need a highly vetted U.S.-based Virtual Assistant, Bookkeeper, Social Media Manager or Website Specialist, BELAY has the right person ready to help you grow your business – without the added stress of having to do everything on your own. 

An industry-winning, 100-percent virtual staffing solutions company, BELAY was established in 2010 and has won countless awards for its culture and employee satisfaction.

Their proprietary matching process pairs their clients with contractors who are accepted by standards more rigorous than Harvard's, only accepting just over three percent of those who apply.

BELAY’s mission is to glorify God by providing solutions that equip their clients with the confidence to climb higher – and their virtual support teams will do just that.

So now, instead of managing minutia better left to someone else, leaders can spend more time doing what only they can do: Growing their organization.

Accomplish More. Juggle Less. Modern Staffing From BELAY.

Tricia Sciortino

As CEO of BELAY, I strive to lead and inspire our team to provide extraordinary services while finding great talent along the way. It’s my distinct privilege to be able to cast vision for the future of BELAY and empower our team to live our mission: Glorifying God by providing solutions that equip our clients with the confidence to climb higher.