The Leadership Skill No One Talks About
Hiring a virtual assistant is a brilliant first step. But what really transforms your business is learning how to manage one effectively.
Too many business owners make the hire and then fall into one of two traps: they either micro-manage everything (wasting their own time), or they set and forget (leaving their VA unclear and unsupported). Managing a VA well is a leadership skill, one that directly impacts your time, your stress levels, and your ability to scale.
As we head into a new financial year, now’s the time to shift from ‘getting help’ to building high performance support. Let’s explore what it really means to manage a VA, and how to do it in a way that gets results.
1. Clear Expectations Create Confidence
Effective management begins with clarity. Your VA can’t read your mind and shouldn’t have to. From the start, outline their key responsibilities, working hours, task priorities, and your preferred communication style. This is the foundation of a productive, professional relationship.
At Virtual Elves, we help you define expectations before your VA even starts. Our onboarding support includes templates, tools, and planning sessions to ensure you hit the ground running.
2. Good Communication Is a Two-Way Street
Regular, structured communication is essential when managing a VA. Weekly check-ins, project updates, and task management tools (like Trello, ClickUp or Asana) keep everyone aligned.
But it’s not just about talking – it’s about listening, too. Your VA is your teammate. Creating a safe space for questions and feedback builds trust, reduces mistakes, and improves retention.
3. You Need Systems, Not Just Support
Hiring a VA without proper systems is like building a house without plans. If you’re expecting someone to step in and help, you need to document how things are done.
From SOPs (standard operating procedures) to password management and workflow guides, the more you can share, the faster your VA can become effective.
Need help building those systems? We don’t just find you the right support, we help set you up to succeed.
4. Micro-Management Kills Momentum
Letting go is hard, especially if you’ve been doing it all yourself for years. But managing a VA doesn’t mean watching every move. It means setting them up to succeed, trusting their skills, and reviewing the results.
Micromanagement slows your VA down and keeps you trapped in busywork. Empowering them with responsibility is what drives true freedom and business growth.
5. One Hour of Planning Saves Ten in Execution
Managing a VA well doesn’t happen by accident. It requires time to plan task lists, establish priorities, and build clear communication habits.
When you take an hour each week to plan what your VA will work on and align it with your business goals – you unlock serious productivity. Less decision fatigue. More progress.
6. Managing a VA Ethically Starts With Who You Hire
Outsourcing gets a bad name when it’s done poorly – without care, fairness, or proper vetting. At Virtual Elves, we’ve always believed that ethical outsourcing is the only way forward.
We’ve spent over a decade building long-term relationships with skilled, values aligned virtual assistants from the Philippines. We pay fairly, support career growth, and prioritise cultural compatibility. The result? VAs who love what they do and businesses who love working with them.
7. When Managed Well, VAs Multiply Your Capacity
A great VA doesn’t just reduce your task list – they change how your business operates. Suddenly you’re not the bottleneck. Your team isn’t overwhelmed. You have space to innovate, sell, lead, and grow.
VAs are not just support staff, they are strategic assets. When managed well, they become an essential part of your long-term success.
Managing a VA Is a Growth Move
Done right, managing a VA is not just about delegation, it’s about evolution. It’s about stepping into your role as a leader and creating a business that works for you, not the other way around.
At Virtual Elves, we help Australian businesses create virtual assistant teams that drive results – with ethical hiring, expert onboarding, and dedicated support at every stage.
Want to manage a VA like a pro? Start by downloading our Free Hire a VA Guide, or book a Discovery Call and find out how we can help you lead smarter, not harder.
