Even in small businesses, great delegation is a vital skill for any business person who wants to expand or increase turnover. However, the problem is, very few have formal training in it. Many folk lurch along, doing their best, often overwhelmed by their own work as well as the needs of their people, trying not to feel resentful at the time it takes to train others.

You almost never need to know you’ve just received yet another email but very few of us can ignore a beep or flashing message. When our energy is low or the current task is challenging it is way too easy to be distracted. 

I was at dinner at an Assistant Principal/Deputy Principal conference a few years ago. As we chatted about time-challenging situations, angry parents, guardians and employees popped into the agenda.

If you’ve got a staff member who needs that extra level of supervision, you have to always know what they’ve got on, keep an eye on their work, make sure that they do what’s required, and be prepared to help if they can’t or haven’t finished. This person will constantly slip back.’

When you write down your goals it becomes easier to know where your priorities lie. You can then, with greater ease, stay focused when seductive time stealers such as TV, friends or a sunny day try to lure you away.

You can’t force plants to grow. They have to do that themselves. A skilled gardener, however, can cultivate the ideal environment and shape the conditions to create the best possible results.

These 12 things contribute to a successful orchard that bears great fruit.