[Infographic] The Art & Science of Delegation

Entrepreneurs on top of their game have learned to be the masters of delegation. In one interview, Bill Gates told Harvard students, "If you want to have an impact, usually, delegation is important."

If you’re having difficulty delegating, you’re not alone. Gates said that his inability to share responsibility is his biggest weakness. But he had to learn to let go, because it was hurting the progress of Microsoft in its early days.

Sometimes, you're not the best person for the job. Giving the right task to the experts in their respective fields will do wonders not only for your company's productivity but also your sanity.

Having to make several decisions a day will drain your willpower and compromise the quality of your choices. As the figure below shows, the more decisions you make, the harder each one becomes. Delegation, on the other hand, will conserve your willpower for the most critical judgment.

Twenty percent of businesses will not even survive the first year. Your team is your best asset so you will be part of the surviving 80 percent. Giving employees the independence to perform their expertise will make your business thrive. It is your weapon against inevitable drawbacks.

Your team shouldn’t depend on one superhero. Putting everything on one person’s know-how is a disaster waiting to happen. Instead, the business must be codified.

The delegation will have lesser friction with a system in place. The system must be in black-and-white and known by everyone involved. Almost every task can be automated and delegated nowadays. If you're wondering what tasks you should delegate, ask yourself these questions: Is this the best use of my time? Am I the best person to do this? If the answers are no, then you should delegate.

Check out the infographic below to learn more about the art and science of delegation.