The Accountability Minute:Business Acceleration|Productivity

This is a poem by Linda Doucett that I hope you enjoy.   'Twas the eve before Christmas.  I left it too late.  The shelves are all bare.  Oh, why did I wait?    I swore I'd shop early,  I clearly remember,  And be done with it all  By the first of December.    But now here I am  With picked-over stock.  The boxes are crumpled  On the Marvel knockoffs.    Sweaters too big,  Slippers too s...

I just wanted to take a moment to express my total gratitude for YOU. Thank you for tuning in to The Accountability Minute, sharing it with others who could benefit, and leaving those incredible ratings and reviews. Your energy and support mean the world to me!   As we step into this holiday season, I’m wishing you and your loved ones a time filled with joy, connection, and celebration. Remember,...

80% of success is mindset and 20% is strategy!   The success of a business depends hugely upon your mindset. Ignoring it will be to the detriment of the business.    95% of our thoughts are the same each day, and on average, 80% of our thoughts are negative!   When you talk with any successful entrepreneur, they will reveal that the mindset plays a huge role in ensuring the success of the business...

Today we are talking about Idea #16 of the 16 ideas to help you get even more done, which is to improve your processes.   Recognize which processes you perform on a regular basis and then write them down step by step. Study each step and work towards refining and re-processing the steps for greater efficiency. This is extremely important for each team member, virtual or physically in your office,...

Today we are talking about Idea #15 to help you get even more done, which is to get in tune with your intuition.   Many people believe that relying on their natural instincts or “gut reaction” always results in the best decision.  Often, we just don’t know enough to make a fully informed decision, so our gut reaction must take the role in the choices we make.    No one is expected to make perfect...

Today we are talking about Idea #14 to help you get even more done, which is about the power of punctuality and following the time blocks in your calendar.   Make a commitment to always arrive at work, at appointments, and at business meetings on time, if not a few minutes beforehand. Consistently review your schedule, so you can prepare for meetings and appointments in advance. You want to have p...

Today we are talking about Idea #13 to help you get even more done, which is to make timely deadline decisions.   When you have a decision to make, set yourself a deadline of one minute, for example. That gives you 59 seconds to mull it over, refine, and re-process it, and 1 second to announce the decision. If you feel you want input from someone who might have experience that can help you, reach...

Today we are talking about Idea #12 to help you get even more done, which is to even out the playing field.   When delegation is necessary, please delegate. Get your team on board and inspire them to take over whenever and wherever their skills are required. Ditch the idea that it’s all up to you.  Many things we do can be done effectively by a team of people or by one other person on your team. Y...

Today we are talking about Idea #11 to help you get even more done, which is to make promises and not excuses.   Commit to your decisions and follow them through. When you set goals, share them with family, friends, team members, and even colleagues, so you are held accountable for your actions. Ask them to hold you accountable to exactly what you want to get done. Personal activities might be mor...

Today we are talking about Idea #10 to help you get even more done, which is Prioritize to Plan.   When confronted with a large or complex project, we often believe it’s a waste of time to plan in advance how to tackle the job. In fact, you can end up saving numerous hours of needless work by spending the time drawing up a project plan and then working through it step by step. All projects typical...

Today we are talking about Idea #9 to help you get even more done, which is Enthusiasm Equals Energy.   Attack each task with the same level of enthusiasm you would give your favorite hobby or sport. Approaching each new project with enthusiasm boosts your energy levels and helps you get the job done faster and more efficiently.  Remember WHY you got into this business in the first place can help...

Today we are talking about Idea #8 to help you get even more done, which is to Organize Your Office space.   Plan your workspace, so you know where to find what you’re looking for. Label your file folders, so they each have a specific purpose, keep your day planner close at hand to jot down notes, and appointments. Again, this holds true for your electronic folders and online calendar and task lis...

Today we are talking about Idea #7 to help you get even more done, which is to tame your “In basket”.   Don’t allow your desk to become a giant “In tray”. When new paperwork arrives, sort it into “Action” or “File” trays. Your “Action” tray can consist of tasks that require urgent attention and those that don’t. Make a note in your day planner/master task list to follow-up on jobs that are not urg...

Today we are talking about Idea #6 to help you get even more done, which is about necessities rather than neatness.   Clearing your desk just to keep it neat can be risky. You need to keep the necessities required to get the job done close at hand, so tasks can be dealt with promptly. I’m not talking about having everything out that you want to work on. Get out all the items necessary for what you...

Today we are talking about Idea #5 to help you get even more done, which is to pick up the pace.   Work towards deliberately revving up a few gears. Attempt to work a bit faster, walk faster, talk faster and type faster without sacrificing quality. You don’t want to get sloppy or make mistakes that you have to fix later. Most of us have a little higher gear that we can get in to more often, so mov...

Today we are talking about Ideal #4 to help you get even more done, which is to do the worst high payoff tasks first.   Aim to get the most unpleasant and highest payoff tasks (which are sometimes the most important) out of the way as soon as possible. When you think too much about doing the jobs you don’t want to do, you procrastinate; so don’t think – just do! The sooner you get them done, the s...

Today we are talking about Idea #3 to help you get even more done, which is to create mini goal posts.   When you begin a new task, set a specific goal post for what you are going to achieve before you stop work, and then focus on working until you reach that milestone.   You can even set a timer to give yourself a specific amount of time to complete each task and then move on.  Set your timer and...

Today we are talking about idea #2 to help you get even more done, which is to Cull your to-do list/ master task list / prioritized action list (as I prefer to say).   Get lethal with your to-do list and delete (or move to the bottom of the list) anything that isn’t going to add value to your daily activities. Then review what items can be delayed and move them down. Use your contact manager, outl...

Today we are talking about idea #1 to help you get even more done, which is to Set Daily Goals / Activities.   It’s impossible to work efficiently without a precise list of goals or activities you want to achieve each day. Plan your goals or activities in advance, and then put the time necessary to do them and achieve them in your calendar, so you have the highest probability to make it happen.  ...

In a perfect world, I think we would all like to work less and play more. The slogan “work smarter, not harder” has been around for a long time, and yet how many of us can truly say we practice working smarter every day of our working lives?   Although “work smarter, not harder” seems to have become the daily mantra for working people, most of them will tell you it’s a whole lot easier to say it t...

Today we are looking at a 4th benefit for embracing change, which is, y ou may get more of what you want and release what you don’t want.   Here’s a popular quote by WL Bateman that sums it all up, “If you keep on doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep on getting what you’ve always got .”     This could not have been more accurate when applied to your business and life.  If you want different...

Today we are looking at a 3rd benefit for embracing change, which is to make room for more success.   Your success only expands as far as you expand.  Change allows you to grow and expand your perceptions, beliefs, and performance – and that’s what you want because your success will come in direct proportion.  In order to make room for the new, you must do away with the old.  Look at embracing cha...

Today we are looking at a 2nd benefit for embracing change, which is, the easy part is integration and adaption.   Many people resist change for the simple fact they are fearful of pain or the outcome.  The truth is that once you get past the resistance, integration and adaptation are easy.  As humans, we are inherently creative and that allows us to adapt much more easily than we presume upon fir...

Today we are looking at 1 benefit for embracing change, which is that You may uncover a problem you didn’t know existed.   It’s easy to become complacent when things seem to be going well, and put the blinders on when everything around you is stuck in a rut.  When you deal with the same pattern, over and over again, you lose perspective of what is working and what isn’t working.  Continually havin...

You don’t need anyone to tell you that the world is undergoing many changes right now, that’s pretty obvious.  What may not be so obvious is your ability to adapt to the changes that are necessary for your business to survive and thrive in any changing market.  How do you set yourself up for success when global changes are affecting the future of your business?  You find out where the change is he...