Delegating the Right Way: How to Set Your New VA (and Yourself) Up for Success

Hiring a Virtual Assistant is one of the smartest moves you can make for your business. But here’s the thing: a great VA can only thrive if you set them up to succeed.

In my experience placing and integrating VAs for over a decade, I’ve seen firsthand where things go right — and where they fall apart. And it almost always comes down to how well the business owner or operator prepares to delegate.

Whether this is your first hire or your fifth, here’s a breakdown of what works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to delegating tasks and building a long-term support system that actually works.

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The Do’s of Delegating Before You Hire

Do define specific tasks you want to delegate. Get clear on what you need help with before you bring someone on. Think: customer support, content repurposing, CRM updates, cold calling — anything that’s eating up your time or slowing down your momentum. Clarity on tasks = clarity on who you need to hire.

Do create simple training materials. You don’t need a full SOP library, but a video walking through the task or a shared document with instructions goes a long way. The goal is to make sure your VA can refer back to something instead of constantly needing to ask.

Do block time for onboarding. Don’t hire someone and disappear. Clear your schedule in the first week to answer questions, provide feedback, and make sure they understand your systems. It’s a short-term time investment for long-term freedom.

Do expect to invest time upfront to save time later. Delegation takes work. You’ll need to hand off tasks slowly, check the results, and offer feedback — especially at the beginning. This is how you build real trust and get out of the weeds.

Do define what success looks like. This is where so many businesses drop the ball. Set clear expectations around results. Even a simple weekly checklist, “send 3 follow-ups, update CRM daily, schedule 2 posts,” helps your VA stay aligned. If you don’t measure output, it’s easy for both sides to get confused about what’s working.

Do plan to scale the role. Here’s what often happens: the VA gets good at what they’re doing, it starts taking them half the time... and the owner never updates their workload. Don’t let that be you. Plan regular check-ins to reassess capacity and start thinking about the next 2-3 tasks you can hand off as your VA grows in the role.

The Don’ts of Delegating Before You Hire

Don’t assume they’ll “figure it out.” Even experienced VAs need guidance on your unique business. Hoping they’ll read your mind or “just get it” leads to missed expectations.

Don’t wait until you’re drowning. If you’re overwhelmed, you won’t have the time or energy to properly onboard someone. Delegating out of burnout often leads to rushed decisions and poor outcomes.

Don’t micromanage — but don’t disappear either. Your VA needs your presence during onboarding. Hovering too much is just as unhelpful as ghosting. Aim for regular, consistent check-ins while they’re getting started.

Don’t skip feedback. The first few weeks are about calibration. Make sure you’re reviewing their work and offering specific, helpful feedback — both what’s working and what needs adjusting. This builds confidence on both sides.

Don’t stop at the first handoff.

Delegation isn’t a one-and-done. As your VA gets faster and more confident, be ready with the next wave of tasks. A strong VA relationship evolves — if you don’t evolve with it, you’re leaving capacity (and growth) on the table.

Don’t expect one person to do five different jobs.

This happens all the time with roles like social media — someone hires a VA and expects them to write content, engage in comments, create Reels, edit videos, and maybe even run ads. Those are all different skill sets. Be realistic about what one person can handle. If you need multiple areas covered, that’s a sign you’re ready for a team, not just a VA.

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A great VA doesn’t just take tasks off your plate — they help you step into your role as the owner and visionary of your business. But that only happens when you lead the relationship with clarity, structure, and a long-term mindset. Set expectations early. Be available during onboarding. Measure what matters. And stay open to growing the role over time.

Set yourself up for the win.