Sam Mustafa, CEO of Charleston Hospitality Group shares his advice for new CEOs on how to lead by example by delegating tasks efficiently to your team.

“No person will make a great business who wants to do it all himself or get all the credit.”
– Andrew Carnegie

As the CEO of Charleston Hospitality Group in Charleston, SC, I realized early in my career that no two employees work the same. All employees have their own unique skill set, personality and strengths. As a leader, it is important to bring the best of these traits in your people, while also coaching them to be the best they can be. The process of delegation and finding those responsibilities best suited for your team is not an easy task. Let’s get that straight! Understanding what motivates your employees and how to operate efficiency as a leader is the key to mastering delegation.

WHERE DOES ONE START WITH DELEGATION?
Below are tips I have put together for new CEOs and managers to cultivate high-performing teams.

STEP 1) PRIORITIZE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DELEGATED
The first step to delegation is understanding the strengths and weaknesses of your team. By assessing these workplace traits in your team, you are able to transfer responsibilities efficiently and confidently. Delegation and mentoring are intertwined. If you believe a teammate can do the job more efficiently, this could be a mentoring moment that instills trust and value within your employee.

Being the CEO of Charleston Hospitality Group, I understand that being a one-man show is incredibly inefficient and takes me away from my focus on expanding and sustaining my company’s business operations.

According to a Gallup Study, CEOs who excel in delegating generate 33% higher revenue. That’s enough of a sales pitch to make me think twice about who to delegate projects to.

STEP 2) WHAT’S THE DESIRED OUTCOME OF THE PROJECT?
Your employees have career goals. They want to grow and be the best asset they can be. These goals are opportunities to delegate tasks to your team to support their professional development goals. This also gives you insight on who you can hold accountability to and trust that the job will get done.

STEP 3) WHAT’S YOUR DESIRED OUTCOME?
Delegating is not dumping your responsibilities on your teammates. Delegated projects have context, meaning and an end goal.They also include metrics to support project goals and keep employees aligned.

Years of experience have proven that when you track your metrics, you understand your customer base better. You understand trends and how these metrics demonstrate your employees’ performance and room for improvement.

Establish a clear communication channel where your employees feel supported if questions pop-up along the way. As Donald McGannon would say, “Leadership is an action, not a position.” This quote resonates with me and I share with all my managers.

STEP 4) PROVIDE TRAINING AND RESOURCES
Set your employees up for success. When they believe they have a job to complete and are provided with the necessary training and resources, you avoid frustrations from both sides. This gives you time to focus on your tasks and your employees the confidence to do the job correctly.

Advice I have for new managers when delegating tasks and coaching your team is focusing on why the task is important and addressing any confusion along the way. Micromanaging and step-by-step instructions do not enable your employees to add to their skillset or think freely. This only fosters an environment that restricts innovation and real-time problem solving.

STEP 5) GIVE CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE. LET YOUR EMPLOYEES FEEL VALUED
Now that your employees have the right resources, training and are confident in their task at hand. It’s time to put them to work and let them exceed. After they achieve the task, it is time to recognize their success. When you recognize and thank your employees for their performance, they are more likely to want to help you on other projects in the future.

YOU GOT IT- NOW HONE IT!
Delegation is a skill that needs to be practiced over time. It is a professional muscle that comes with experience. Honing this skill allows you to become an effective leader. It is important to remember that next time you decide to shy away from effectively delegating, you are overloading your schedule, prioritizing the wrong tasks and your employees will miss out on valuable learning moments.

Sam Mustafa is the the CEO of Charleston Hospitality Group and Toast! All Day Franchise. Named one of the nation’s 100 most influential CEOs by Nation’s Restaurant News and frequent speaker on Joe Pardavila’s Podcast on ForbesBooks Radio. He has also been featured on Medium, Authority Magazine, describing his version of the American Dream. Sam is one of the leading voices in the Restaurant Industry.

Bibliography:

1) Badal , SANGEETA Bharadwaj, and Bryant Ott. “Delegating: A Huge Management Challenge for Entrepreneurs.” Gallup.com, Gallup, 25 May 2021, news.gallup.com/businessjournal/182414/delegating-huge-management-challenge-entrepreneurs.aspx.
2) Landry , Lauren. “How to Delegate Effectively: 9 Tips for Managers: Hbs Online.” Business Insights – Blog, 14 Jan. 2020, online.hbs.edu/blog/post/how-to-delegate-effectively.