4 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Delegating Tasks to a Virtual Assistant

If you’re going to give yourself a helping hand and hire a virtual assistant, then effective delegation is crucial to making it a successful partnership. Delegating tasks might seem straightforward, but it’s easy to fall into certain traps. These mistakes can hinder productivity and lead to frustration for both you and your virtual assistant, so let’s explore some of the common pitfalls and how to sidestep them.

Lack of Clear Communication

Picture the scene - you’ve hired a virtual assistant and you’re about to delegate the first task. You send them an email asking them to “handle the client emails.” But after a few days, you’re left frustrated because your virtual assistant hasn’t prioritised the important ones and completely misjudged the tone of responses. You’ll be felt feeling that a virtual assistant is more hassle than it’s worth!

Unclear communication can lead to such mishaps so it’s essential to be specific about your expectations. Instead of vague instructions, specify exactly what you need your virtual assistant to do. For the above example, you could say “Please respond to all client emails within 24 hours and prioritise any urgent emails from these top clients.”

Clear and detailed instructions are the key to reducing misunderstandings, frustration and errors.

Setting Unrealistic Expectations

We all want tasks completed quickly and perfectly, but setting overly ambitious goals or unrealistic timelines can backfire. For example, expecting your virtual assistant to revamp your entire website in a day is not only unrealistic but also unfair.

This pressure is going to lead to substandard work, burnout and resentment from your VA - they’re going to send you an email suggesting you part ways pretty soon!

Instead, discuss deadlines with your virtual assistant when you brief a task and consider breaking down larger projects into shorter and manageable tasks. Also remember that whilst you might be paying for their time, they also have other clients to work around as well. 

By working with your virtual assistant to agree on timelines, you’ll guarantee a higher quality of work and a more positive working relationship.

Micromanagement vs Automony

You’ve most likely hired a virtual assistant to help with either a specific task you don’t have the knowledge to do yourself or because you’re overwhelmed with admin and need a helping hand. In both scenarios, micromanaging your virtual assistant’s every move and checking in on them constantly is going to make them feel restricted and unmotivated.

But on the other hand, too much autonomy with little to no guidance can lead to mistakes. It might also leave you feeling a little blind as to what you’re virtual assistant is doing.

There is a healthy balance to be struck - offer detailed briefs and be on hand to answer questions but trust your virtual assistant with the tasks they are skilled in. You can offer constructive feedback but also allow them to make decisions within their scope of work. This will help foster a healthy working relationship and enhance productivity.

Failure to Provide Adequate Resources

Imagine asking your VA to create a series of social media posts to promote your product and brand… but you don’t give them access to details about your product, brand colours and fonts. There’s no way they would be able to produce good-quality content without those things!

Inadequate resources will hamper your VA’s ability to complete tasks effectively, so always ensure they have the necessary tools, access and information they need. Whether it’s software, login credentials or detailed guidelines, providing the right resources is key.

And don’t wait on your virtual assistant to ask for access or key information - try and supply as much upfront so it doesn’t delay them starting the work.

Learning from Mistakes - best practices for delegating tasks to a virtual assistant

Effective delegation is a skill. If this is the first time you’ve outsourced elements of your business, no one is expecting you to get it right straight away! A good virtual assistant will know how nervewracking it can be to outsource and that it takes time and patience to get used to delegating. But here are some best practices to consider to you can make your outsourcing journey as smooth as possible:

• Set clear & concise instructions - always be clear in your expectations and requirements

• Provide regular feedback - constructive feedback will help your VA understand what they’re doing well and where they can improve

• Establish a communication routine - regular check-ins can help address any issues promptly and ensure you’re both on the same page

• Encourage initiative - let your VA take ownership of tasks and allow them to bring their own ideas to the table. You hired them as an expert for a reason after all!

Delegating tasks to a virtual assistant not only enhances your productivity but also allows you to focus on the more strategic elements of your business. By avoiding the common mistakes of unclear communication, unrealistic expectations, micromanagement or providing inadequate resources, you can foster a productive and positive working relationship with your VA.

No one is perfect, but taking the time to reflect on how you delegate BEFORE you hire a virtual assistant will help you in the long run. After all, hiring a virtual assistant it supposed to help your productivity, so by adopting these best practices you can achieve that far sooner.