02/ 05/ 2008
by Tamara E. Holmes
While it's easy to get a task done when someone else imposes structure and deadlines on you, true success is more often achieved by being able to follow through on your own. For entrepreneurs in particular, personal accountability takes on a whole new significance since there's no boss checking to make sure you do what you say you're going to do. For that reason, it's important to identify whether you have a problem following through and if so, to create a surefire way to hold yourself accountable.
There will be times in which it will be impossible for you to do something you said you wanted to do in the initial time you allotted. Business conditions change, emergencies crop up and unexpected challenges will likely cause some goals to be put on hold. But if you are constantly making plans only to leave them halfway completed or not started at all, consider the following suggestions for taking yourself a little more seriously.
Write goals down. When you keep your goals in your head, it's too easy to postpone them or even ignore them. By writing them down, you make them real. However, don't just write them down and put them away somewhere. Keep the list in a place where you will see it frequently so you'll be reminded when you're not doing anything to make those goals a reality.
Use deadlines. Just as you likely give employees a set time to complete tasks, it's important to give yourself a timeline as well. Without deadlines, any other time-sensitive task will seem more important, causing you to push your goals back even further.
Employ the buddy system. It's easier to stick to your goals when someone else is equally committed, largely because you're more likely to let yourself down than someone else. Find another business owner who is willing to become your accountability partner. Not only can the two of you share goals and strategies for achieving those goals, you can also meet regularly to make sure you're both following the plan.
Hire a coach. If you find yourself particularly challenged when it comes to following through on your plans, a business coach can help you identify the root of that weakness and find ways around it. Once you and a coach come up with a plan, he or she will perform the same role as an accountability partner, checking in with you regularly to make sure you're still on the right path. Since there's a financial investment involved, you're likely to put in more effort at solving the problem in order to get your money's worth.
Offer rewards or punishments. If the thought of reaching your goal isn't enough to motivate you to work on it every day, consider sweetening the pot with another reward for finishing the task. If the business goal will bring a financial windfall to your company, give yourself a bonus for the extra effort. If you can't afford to reward yourself with money, think of other ways to celebrate a job well done such as through a couple of days off or an evening at your favorite restaurant. While rewards are effective for some people, punishment can be a strong motivator as well. Is there a business task that you hate to do and have successfully delegated to others? Plan to do it for a month if you don't stick to your plan. Do you love to play golf? Cancel all plans to play until you achieve your goal. Just as the thought of a bad performance review can motivate employees into doing their jobs, the thought of unwanted circumstances can help light a fire under your own performance.
