One of my favorite lines at the end of a meeting is: “There is no job too dirty, too tough…that I can’t delegate it!” It typically elicits a chuckle only from anyone who hasn’t heard it 100 times. That, of course, means that no one working for me, in my immediate circle of friends and colleagues, or in my family does much of anything except roll their eyes or groan.

The art of delegation is something many entrepreneurs find difficult. Especially anyone who is a technical entrepreneur. We are used to wearing every hat, and have an opinion about all things from website design, to IT architecture, to HR policy. Plus, if you want it done right, don’t you need to do it yourself?

Great managers and business people learn the art of delegation. Paul Ingevaldson shared an insight recently that is a simple rule to follow:

Here’s how to evaluate your delegation propensity. If your subordinate comes to you with an easy question, then there are two possibilities. First, the subordinate doesn’t have the confidence to make the decision and wants validation from you, the boss. In this case, you must be careful not to answer the question but to tell the subordinate that he should trust his own instincts and make the call. In this way, he will have an opportunity to grow as a person and will begin to gain the confidence that he’s lacking. You also will be able to monitor his decision-making ability.

The second possibility is that the answer was indeed simple but you didn’t share the necessary information, requiring the subordinate to ask the question…It’s important for you to disclose to your subordinates all of the information that they need to do their jobs.

I think that’s a simple tip to follow, and good discipline for an effective manager to employ. Remember, your people are your greatest asset. Helping them grow is a good investment. Freeing yourself for the tough questions is also a good investment. Good luck delegating your way to an ever more profitable business!