The CEO’s guide to delegating without repeating yourself
- MJ Rosario-Malubay
- Aug 3
- 4 min read
If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking,
“Why do I have to keep reminding this person what to do?”
I already made the SOPs. Isn’t it clear enough?”
You’re not the only one having these thoughts! I’ve been there more times than I can count. 🙃
Back in 2022, I was in a season of growth. I was slowly transitioning from the freelancer hustle to a full business owner mode.
This meant bringing in help, building systems from scratch, documenting every single process, and hiring people I truly believed in.
And even with all that effort, I still found myself
repeating instructions,
explaining things that were already written, or
asking about things that were already part of someone’s checklist.
I started wondering if I was just a bad leader—or if I had made the wrong hire. 😒
But over time, with experience (and many humbling moments), I began to realize something foundational ⏬
Just because it’s written doesn’t mean it’s understood.
We assume that handing over a clear checklist or detailed SOP should solve the problem.
We think, “They just need to follow the steps, it’s 👏 all 👏 there.”
But people aren’t machines, and even the best-written process can’t replace true understanding, context, or experience.
I learned that people process information in wildly different ways.
Some are visual learners who need to see the flow of work mapped out.
Some need to hear your voice explaining the “why” behind the steps.
Others are kinesthetic learners; they only internalize the process after doing it themselves a few times.
And for many, true ownership doesn’t happen until they understand how their task connects to the bigger vision of the business.
In other words, we don’t all learn the same way. 💡
And no, that doesn’t mean someone is incompetent or careless, it simply means they’re human.
Let me give you a few real-life examples.
Let’s say you’re a private practice owner.
You’ve written a clear, step-by-step process for how your admin should follow up with clients after their sessions.
It’s organized, accessible, and you’ve even discussed it a few times.
But week after week, follow-ups still get delayed. 😒
You start to wonder, “How many times do I have to repeat myself?”
But then you take a moment to walk through the process together.
You hop on a screen share, go through a few real client scenarios, and explain not just what to do but why it matters.
Suddenly, something clicks. Your admin pauses and says, “Ohhhh… now I get it.” 😲
It wasn’t about being lazy. She just needed to experience the process to absorb it truly.
She wasn’t defying your instructions, she just learns differently.
Now, imagine you’re a keynote speaker who recently hired a VA to help you with content repurposing.
You’ve documented your SOPs. You’ve outlined your expectations.
But things still fall through the cracks.
Captions feel off. Deadlines get missed.
You start to question if you made the wrong hire.
But when you sit down and walk them through
how your talks tie into your brand message,
when you connect the dots between that one-liner you shared on stage and the carousel you’re trying to publish,
the VA begins to understand your voice, not just follow directions.
They stop copying and pasting. They start creating with intention.🎁
And you start seeing progress.
In both cases, nothing changed on paper. But everything changed in connection.
Here’s one truth many leaders don’t say out loud ⏬
Training takes more than transferring information.
It takes presence, patience, and repetition.
Sometimes, it’s not about the task itself.
✅ It’s about how safe your team feels to clarify things without being judged.
✅ It’s about how often you check in—not just to monitor performance, but to see if they feel confident doing what’s being asked.
✅ It’s about helping someone understand the way you think and even anticipate, which is a muscle that develops over time.
Leadership isn’t about handing someone a manual and walking away. It's about:
creating understanding, building rhythm,
showing someone how to think, act, and
make decisions in alignment with your business values even when you’re not around.
So if you’ve found yourself in a loop of reminding someone again… and again… and again…
Pause before jumping to the conclusion that they’re not “getting it.”
Instead, ask yourself:
Have I checked in recently to ask how confident they feel in this process?
Have I explained not just the what but the why?
Have I modeled the task or shared my thought process while doing it?
Have I given enough space for questions, feedback, or co-creating solutions?
I know it’s super hard when you’re juggling so much. 😨
When you’ve been up since 6 AM, managing client needs, reviewing deliverables, and keeping the business engine running; it’s exhausting to also be in teacher mode.
But what you’re building—this business, this team, this mission—it deserves depth.
And depth doesn’t come from delegation alone.
It comes from connection, alignment, and mutual investment. 🤝
▪ You’re not behind because you have to repeat yourself.
▪ You’re not failing because things aren’t happening on the first try.
▪ You’re growing something real, and that growth? It’s going to feel messy sometimes.
But you are showing up, you are doing the work most people avoid, and that means you're already leading. 💗
So, the next time you feel the urge to say, “Ugh, why do I still have to remind them?”
Remember that this is part of the process.
You’re shaping something that will one day move without you.
And when it does, it’ll be because you took the time to BUILD IT RIGHT. 👏
***
P.S. If you’re ready to step into a new season—one where you don’t have to carry the mental load of managing everything alone—I currently have a few open spots for OBM (Online Business Management) support.
Whether you're building a small but mighty team or looking to scale without the chaos, I’d love to explore how I can support you. Let’s talk👇
And hey—if a fellow CEO/founder popped into your mind while reading this, pass it along.
