Genius Zone Task Audit, Artist Management (India)
Purpose: To identify which tasks only you can do, which can be delegated, and which are a waste of your time entirely. Run this audit at the start of your management practice and every 6 months as your roster grows.
The framework has four zones, borrowed from Gay Hendricks' The Big Leap:
- Incompetence Zone: Tasks you are bad at and should never be doing.
- Competence Zone: Tasks you can do, but so can others.
- Excellence Zone: Tasks you are very good at, but they drain you.
- Genius Zone: Tasks that only you can do at this level, that energise you.
The goal is to move as much of your time as possible into the Genius Zone.
Step 1: Time Audit
For two weeks, log every task you do for 15 minutes or more. Be honest.
Step 2: Categorise Each Task
INCOMPETENCE ZONE, Stop doing these or hire a specialist immediately.
- Accounting and GST returns (hire a CA)
- Graphic design for social media (hire a designer or use Canva with a template)
- Website development (hire a developer or use Wix/Squarespace)
- Audio engineering / mixing (hire an engineer)
- Video editing (hire an editor)
COMPETENCE ZONE, Delegate these when you can afford to.
- Responding to routine booking enquiries (can be handled by an assistant with a template)
- Uploading music to distribution platforms
- Posting to social media (once strategy is set)
- Tracking press coverage
- Basic admin, scheduling calls, filing contracts
- Following up on unpaid invoices
EXCELLENCE ZONE, Do these, but notice the energy cost.
- Negotiating fees for shows (you're good at it but it's stressful)
- Managing artist expectations and emotions (you handle it well but it takes a toll)
- Writing pitches to labels, brands, or festivals (you can do it, but it takes time)
- Reviewing contracts line by line
GENIUS ZONE, Protect and maximise these.
- Identifying which artists have something genuinely worth developing
- Knowing which opportunity is right for which artist at which moment
- Building relationships that open doors (with labels, bookers, DSP editorial)
- Strategic thinking about an artist's long-term positioning
- The conversation that changes how an artist thinks about their career
Step 3: Weekly Schedule Redesign
Target: 60%+ of your weekly hours in Excellence or Genius Zone.
Step 4: India-specific Considerations
Tasks that feel like Genius Zone but are actually Excellence Zone (be honest):
- WhatsApp communication with artists at all hours, this feels personal but it is actually a management boundary issue. Set clear communication hours.
- Being on-site for every show, important early on, but as your roster grows, delegate show-day logistics to a tour manager or assistant.
- Personally following up with every press contact, build a PR professional relationship so this is shared.
Tasks that seem like Incompetence but are actually critical to do yourself in early-stage Indian management:
- Direct outreach to venue programmers, in India, personal relationships matter more than cold emails. You cannot delegate this until you have a team member who has been with you long enough to carry those relationships.
- First meetings with labels and brands on behalf of an artist, the initial trust establishment requires you.
Step 5: Action Plan
Free to use · Part of the Indie Music India toolkit · Updated September 2026