Virtual Freedom author Chris Ducker gives one major piece of advice for virtual staff management: “Don’t be a virtual vulture!” The virtual vulture emerges in entrepreneurs who struggle to trust that their virtual assistant is doing work correctly, doing work that could easily be done by themselves, or doing any work at all. Virtual vultures are often solopreneurs struggling to transition into the role of virtual CEO. Chris suggests a management process involving:
- Objectives
- Examples
- Benchmarks
- Freedom
A clear objective is essential in ensuring that your virtual assistant is on the same page as you. They will be unable to live up to your expectations unless you tell them what you expect! Keep in mind that these initial stages are a learning process of trial and error while your VA recognises the way you work. Chris suggests bullet points to give your VA a checklist of sorts for their project or task.
Giving your VA examples is the best way to ensure they know what to aim for. If you overhear a song on the radio and think it would work as background music for your video—send it to them. If you come across a spectacularly constructed article—send the link and explain which aspects you think could be incorporated into their future work.
Benchmarks and checkpoints are perfect for virtual CEOs that are slipping into virtual vulture territory. It is understandably difficult to step away from a project and simply wait for your VA to complete it, so the benchmarking process is beneficial for you both. It inevitably prevents large disasters from occurring at the very end of the project, as minor issues can be sorted from stage to stage.
Freedom for your virtual assistant is imperative. Virtual vultures that constantly hover over their staff breed nothing but distrust among their virtual team. You selectively hired them, and gave them your objectives, examples of work, and benchmarks by which to work, so now it is time to step back and let them fly or fall. Chris Ducker presented the Virtual Freedom webinar, which is now available in our on-demand learning library. It will prepare you to work with virtual staff, buy more time and be more productive in order to build your dream business. Learn more about the on-demand webinar, here. Read more about Chris Ducker. Purchase a copy of Virtual Freedom, here.
This article was authored by Elizabeth Rowe. Elizabeth graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (English Literature) at the ANU and a Masters of Media Practice at the University of Sydney. She is currently completing an internship with the Australian Businesswomen’s Network.
