The Accountability Minute:Business Acceleration|Productivity

As a business owner, it’s important to recognize how valuable your time is - and how you choose to spend it every second of every day. Yes, the bookkeeping is important, and so is voicemail and email, but those tasks are not directly responsible for generating revenue, and are better left to be managed by someone else. Are you guilty of focusing on the less important (low-payoff) tasks when you sh...

Today we are talking about Principle #11 of the 11 principles for increased business and personal success, which is to get out of the office!   Literally get out of the office. If you don’t practice self-care, your business will suffer. If you’re the only one who operates the business and you get ill, who will keep it going? How will the business thrive if you’re not? You may find that when facing...

Today we are talking about Principle #10 for increased business and personal success, which is to be grateful . I suggest you should keep a gratitude journal. This journal will help you through difficult times. When you take time at the end of every day to find at least three things about which to be grateful and start the next day by reading those things for which you’re grateful, you start the d...

Today we are talking about Principle #9 for increased business and personal success, which is to not stray from your core competency. If you started your business to sell the best widgets, but you’ve heard that dog grooming is the biggest thriving industry in your market, don’t start offering a dog grooming service with every widget purchased. You need to stick with the passion that started you on...

Today we are talking about Principle #8 for increased business and personal success, which is to surround yourself with like-minded individuals . Consider joining a mastermind group. Find a group of people who will hold you accountable, be there to brainstorm, and with whom you will provide support as well. A mastermind group is a must for many entrepreneurs. In a mastermind group you are each foc...

Today we are talking about Principle #7 for increased business and personal success, which is to remember that the items on which you focus are those which you ultimately achieve .   Take time to focus on those goals, outcomes, activities you want and don’t dwell on the negatives or the “what ifs” of what you’re striving toward. “If you dream it, you can do it” may be pithy, but I’ve found that wh...

Today we are talking about Principle #6 for increased business and personal success, which is to be a lifelong learner .   If you’re living under a rock, you will be unaware of changes in the market, trends in your industry, and even failing relationships because of your single focus on your work. It is important, as you know, to read industry publications and other things that can give you ideas...

Today we are talking about Principle #5 for increased business and personal success, which is to celebrate wins at work and at home . When your personal and your business principles mesh you can and should celebrate. Even if you’re a solopreneur, unless you’re single and have no immediate family and don’t even share your life with a goldfish – you are NOT going it alone. A supportive personal team...

Today we are talking about Principle #4 for increased business and personal success, which is to ask yourself: Do you practice what you preach? When you “preach” about the importance of  taking the weekends off of work to recharge your batteries, and you spend the weekends working and therefore sacrificing personal time, you need to take a step back and rethink where your principles got off track...

Today we are talking about Principle #3 for increased business and personal success, which is to ask yourself: What personal goals do you have? If you aren’t certain how your business will enhance your personal goals, how will you know if you’ve reached personal satisfaction nirvana? Personal goals should be the driving force behind business goals. Know what you want and need to achieve personally...

Today we are talking about Principle #2 for increased business and personal success, which is to focus on short-term goals on your way toward your large dreams . When you are striving toward a big or audacious goal, you may sacrifice personal or family time in its pursuit. When you set short-term goals, you can work toward them, chipping away at the larger goal, and know that you’re making progres...

Today we are talking about Principle #1 for increased business and personal success, which is to ask: What are your strengths?   When you focus on your strengths, you can find ways to address your business weaknesses. One way to best address a business weakness is to delegate all those tasks that you struggle doing or don’t like to do.  When you do this, you remove that struggle from your plate, a...

Business owners typically “live” their principles. They may not stand up and shout, “Here are the principles by which I run my business and live my life” but their principles are embedded in their thoughts, words, and actions.  If you’re not certain what your business principles are, if you want to add more principles to your arsenal, or if you simply want to understand business principles, let’s...

Learning the delicate art of delegation usually requires a lot practice and patience.  It's a fine dance of constant refinement and adjustment to find the perfect balance of effective delegation that allows you to take your business to the next level.   Any successful business relies on a team structure for growth and efficiency. While one person may be able to do a lot, it’s not possible for...

Today we are talking about concept #4 of the 4 concepts for making effective commitments, which is a: Commitment to Relationships. You would swear from the number of books, seminars, and workshops on the subject of “commitment phobia” that the phrase only belonged to the relationship game.  Fulfilled and satisfying relationships form the backbone of our relationship with ourselves and the world ar...

Today we are talking about concept #3 for making effective commitments, which is a: Commitment to Success. Success doesn’t just happen. Success occurs when determination, a desire to succeed, strength of purpose, and a commitment to achieve your goals are present. Successful people commit to achieving better than their best. For them, commitment becomes an instinctual habit they practice consisten...

Today we are talking about concept #2 for making effective commitments, which is a: Commitment to Business. It would be impossible to imagine a business leader who doesn’t value commitment as one of their greatest strengths.  Great business leaders not only practice commitment in their own lives, they encourage, promote, and reward commitment in their employees. Committed employees are competent a...

Today we are talking about concept #1 for making effective commitments, which is a: Commitment to Life. Those who commit to living a successful, fulfilled life become the most successful, and fulfilled people.  Commitment is not simply about making a half-hearted promise to yourself that you may keep when “all the stars are aligned satisfactorily” .  Commitment involves making a promise to yoursel...

Commitment means being bound by a course of action to bring about the desired results. It is one of the most powerful personal traits we can aim to achieve.  Our greatest leaders and the most successful business people all share common belief systems – determination, strength of purpose, and commitment. Being committed to yourself, your goals, your business and your relationships is what raises yo...

Your success depends on your mindset and ignoring it could be detrimental to your success. Don't make the mistake of underestimating the power of your mind. Successful entrepreneurs know that mindset is critical to achieving success. However, there are often limiting beliefs that can hold you back without you even realizing it. It's time to take action and identify those limiting beliefs...

Today we are talking about tip #4 of the 4 tips to motivate behavior change in your team, which is to Highlight Your Team’s Accomplishments.   If an employee does something great and it doesn’t get recognized, why would they continue to work harder? The simple act of acknowledging the work that your employees do, especially when they go above and beyond, is a great way to motivate even more behavi...

Today we are talking about tip #3 to motivate behavior change in your team, which is to Take Time to Understand Individuals on Your Team.   In order to motivate behavior change, you have to first figure out what motivates each team member. Each person is different—one person may be motivated by overcoming challenges, another may be motivated by verbal praise, and someone else might be motivated by...

Today we are talking about tip #2 to motivate behavior change in your team, which is to Demonstrate Trust in Your Team.   You’ve built a solid team around you of talented people. How do you keep them motivated as you grow your company? By demonstrating trust in them and showing them how much you value their contributions! Your job as a leader is to empower your team. Give them the space to make de...

Today we are talking about tip #1 to motivate behavior change in your team, which is to Communicate Your Vision.   You may find a lag in productivity and in reaching team goals when your team doesn’t understand the why behind your goals. When you clearly communicate your vision, your employees have a better understanding of the reasons behind certain initiatives, and are more likely to buy into th...

When you start a company and build it up from nothing, it can be easy for you to be motivated to continue its growth. Of course, you want it to succeed—it’s your business baby! But for employees who haven’t been on that journey from the start, it can be harder to motivate behavior change in them.   Leading a team comes with its own challenges. There may be times when productivity wanes, or team me...