Here are 6 helpful ways to start successfully: 
1. Delegate tasks effectively
2. Set expectations and or goals
3. Provide the right tools
4. Provide a reasonable deadline
5. Communicate properly
6. Give feedback

Delegate Task Effectively

This step may sound so simple and easy. However, if not done rightfully, there is a high probability of issues in delivering excellent quality work. Before delegating a particular task to your virtual assistant, you need to consider some things. As a business owner, you have to ask yourself, is the task under your VA’s scope of work written on your contract? If not, is your virtual assistant comfortable doing it, or do they have the right skills? Note that when someone is being assigned a task that they are excellent at, they will perform better. Therefore, before hiring your virtual assistant, you should be wise and careful in determining the right virtual assistant to work with.

Another thing that you have to do is by providing the right and correct instructions. Of course, you wouldn’t like it if your virtual assistant delivered a wrong task just because you gave wrong or unclear instructions. So providing clear and correct instructions will save both your time and energy.

Share Expectations

This one is significant. After the task is delegated, it is crucial to inform your virtual assistant of the expected outcomes. Remember, each goal and expectation must be specific, measurable, and attainable. You have to share your goals and expectations and how important they are to you and your business. Doing this helps your VA better understand and commit to your company. Aside from that, it would also be better if you ask your VA about their expectations of you.

Use the Right Tools

Imagine working with the wrong tools. If your tools are wrong, even how much effort you exert, expect less to attain your goals. On the other hand, using the right tools can significantly increase performance, productivity, efficiency, accuracy, and convenience. As a result, it can save you time, money, and energy.

Provide a Reasonable Deadline

Before setting a schedule, ask yourself first, is it reasonable? For instance, if you ask your virtual assistant to create social media content for the whole week, how many hours do you think it will take? One hour? Two hours or so? In setting a deadline, one should consider the difficulty of the task that is being delegated. That way, your virtual assistant can deliver high-quality work at that specific period of time.

Communicate Properly

Excellent communication creates harmony. When there is miscommunication, conflicts may happen. Excellent communication between you and your virtual assistant can lead to better collaboration and productivity, which means you can work well together on a long-term basis. Additionally, communication is essential to maintain a peaceful, strong, professional working relationship with your virtual assistant. 

Give Feedback

Providing constructive criticism helps improve oneself. This allows your virtual assistant to see and understand things that are sometimes overlooked. Furthermore, constructive criticism promotes a healthy, trustworthy, and better working environment.

Being open-minded is crucial in giving or accepting either positive or negative feedback. The steps below can help you provide effective feedback to your virtual assistant.

1. Keep it private. It is always best to have a one-on-one talk with your virtual assistant when giving feedback, especially if it’s constructive criticism. That way, you will not put your virtual assistant in an uncomfortable situation and feel ashamed. Furthermore, talking about it in private helps your virtual assistant to easier accept and learn from her mistakes.
2. Appreciate your VA’s performance. However small or big it is, appreciate every little thing your virtual assistant does. It helps build confidence. 
3. Call out mistakes/negative behavior. This should be done sensibly. No one is perfect, so you wouldn’t have to be rude in telling your virtual assistant that she made a mistake or her behavior is somewhat unacceptable. After all, anything can be resolved by proper communication.