2020 was very challenging for everyone but, as business owners, we are used to facing challenges to some degree, right?

With renewed hope in 2021, here are some inspiring quotes from business owners to inspire you, as a business owner, to help make sure that 2021 is a year of success. I've also included a couple of extra famous quotes that I like as well.

Enjoy!

“Figure out the essence of what your business exists to deliver and then deliver that service or product exceptionally well”
- Dr. James Robertson, The Strategy Doctor
https://the-strategy-doctor.com/

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“You spend more waking hours at work than in any other activity. Life is too short, so why be unhappy? Take the ‘leap of faith’ and do what you love!"
- Steve Preston, the Career Catalyst
www.steveprestonthecareercatalyst.com

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"Small changes can bring about huge change...

... Small changes being aware of our thought patterns can bring about huge change in how we feel. Mindfulness can help you to notice when your mind is adding to the stress rather than helping with it. Making small changes can help you to focus better and live more calmly and happily even in stressful times."
- Penny Metcalf, Penny Metcalf Mindfulness
www.pennymetcalf.com

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"Sports stars achieve their goals and win medals working with great coaches. Business people can achieve their goals and ambitions too by working with a great coach"
- Steve Brooks, Marketing, Business & Retail Expert
LinkedIn Profile

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"If you don't have a plan, you'll become part of someone else's plan"
"Writing down your goals and plans make you unstoppable. When you write down your goals, ink on paper, you tap into a powerful motivational force."
- Jeff Blount, Fanatical Prospecting
www.jeffblount.com

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“As we start 2021 it's time to focus our businesses and ourselves - we need to focus our time smartly, prioritising the activities that give us the most satisfaction.  Look at your tasks, tick off one action at a time then move onto the next – and if you don't need to do it, get someone else to!! DELEGATE!!
We can't always do it all, outsourcing enables you to achieve more!”
- Suzanne Cox & Kristy Roff – Get Ahead
www.getaheadva.com


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"Taking control of your thinking and the stories you tell yourself are key in the pursuit of success and contentment"
- Vafa Taleban, Personal Revolution
www.personalrevolution.online

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"Fail Fast...

...since it is inevitable that it is going to happen at some point, get it out the way early by acting quickly, and enjoy the learning that comes with it."
- Steve Birks, BizDash
www.bizdash-uk.com

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"Growth comes at the point of resistance. We learn by pushing ourselves and finding what really lies at the outer reaches of our abilities"
- Josh Waitzkin, The Art of Learning

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In this article, we discuss the power of accountability and why, for many people, it is often perceived as negatively, despite how beneficial it can be when achieving success.

When it comes to staying focused on achieving results, having some form of accountability is a powerful way to keep you on track but, for many people, even the slight mention of accountability stirs negative feelings and a shiver down the spine.

Why?

In many corporate settings, accountability is seen as a case of joining meetings or having discussions around the topic of ‘why did we do this wrong and who is to blame’ or ‘whose fault is this?’.

This negative approach to accountability isn’t just confined to corporate work environments. High profile positions including CEOs, national football managers and high-stake industries are all positions where questions are asked if results aren’t achieved, and this form of accountability serves a great purpose.

It’s important to learn from mistakes, and that can only be done by understanding what went wrong and how a process or decision can be done differently to achieve better results. But it can also de-motivate and discourage individuals from taking brave actions or calculated risks that could yield great results.

It shouldn’t be about blame, and it should be positive

Unfortunately, the way many people and businesses approach being accountable has left the word ‘accountability’ with a negative perception that it doesn’t deserve. When supporting my clients I refer to ‘Positive Accountability’ which is about encouraging, supporting and motivating them to achieve their goals.

Positive accountability is less about blaming someone for what has happened (or not happened) and more about providing inspiration and celebrating success, no matter how small that success or achievement is.

It still holds individuals feeling responsible but in a positive ‘you’ve got this! way. Positive accountability, when focusing on achieving goals, involves having a single person or group of people that you share your progress with, and they support you as you progress towards your desired results. There are various ways you can do this which I will discuss later.

So, does accountability work?

Yes, it does. There is plenty of research and evidence that having someone hold you positively accountable when trying to achieve your goals increases the chances of success.

It’s worth pointing out that it’s important to have the right goals first. If your goals aren’t challenging enough or are too challenging, then success is a lot harder, no matter whether you use accountability or not.

According to a study by The American Society of Training and Development (ASTD), the chances of achieving your goals increase by up to 95%. When I first saw that statistic, I had to re-read it. It’s not a 30, 40 or 50% greater chance… it’s 95%, and even if everyone reacts differently to accountability, the chances of it helping create success are massive.

How will you use positive accountability?

There are many ways you can use accountability to achieve success. Here are a few ideas to consider:

Buddy system: partner up with a like-minded individual and share your goals and progress. Make it a social event and meet up regularly (remotely if necessary) and inspire each other.

Weekly Accountability Sessions: Meet up weekly with a group of individuals on a group call and share your inspirations. These sessions are short and focused, with each session lasting up to 20 minutes. If you would like to know more about weekly accountability sessions, get in touch.

A Mastermind: These sessions tend to take place once a month and bring together like-minded people with similar challenges. They aren’t solely focused on accountability but can be inspiring and motivating as well as providing support for solving specific challenges your business might have.

Coaching or mentoring: Having a coach, whether it’s a business coach, life coach, lifestyle coach or career coach - you will get personal support and motivation with achieving your tailored goals. If you are looking for individual support for business growth then get in touch.

Summary

Accountability works! It’s proven to, but it must be focused on being positive. To achieve real success it must be coupled with properly thought out goals. Find out how to set the right goals with this free eBook - How to set goals that get results.

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