Leadership

Tools for accountability

Tools for accountability

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Every expert needs tools in order to do what they do. For example, take away their piping tips and smoother, and the cake decorator may not deliver on the design you ordered. Or just imagine the outcome if your accountant had to file tax returns without a computer. Similarly, entrepreneurs are at their best when they use tools for accountability. After all, business owners don’t have the structure a reporting system. They are entirely self-driven. And by nature, entrepreneurs are motivated and full of ideas. Which can actually be a challenge, because new projects and prospects pop up as distractions. Therefore, tools for accountability are critical for entrepreneurs to be effective and focused. Here are 5 kinds of tools for accountability every business owner should include in their workflow and routine.

What is accountability for entrepreneurs?

First of all, to clarify what is accountability for entrepreneurs. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, ‘accountability’ is the quality of being held liable for one’s conduct and performance of duties. What does that mean for a business owner? Well, because an entrepreneur has many responsibilities, the nature of their accountability varies. Suppliers would say it’s paying invoices on time. For employees, it’s following through on paying wages, managing performance, and being responsive. Meanwhile, for the government, it’s compliance with tax filings, remittances, and permits.

Here, we mean tools for accountability that support the entrepreneur’s role as a leader. Building a successful business requires not only a strategic plan, but taking consistent action to follow it. Results don’t happen when projects are picked up and put down without being fully executed. So these tools for accountability are tactics a business owner can use to help them stay on track and organized, so that they can follow through on all their plans and ideas. 

Time Tracking Tools

Keeping track of time is a foundation of staying accountable. After all, how can targets be set when you don’t know how long things will take? This just leads to failure and frustration. For example, I coached a salon owner who was moving into a bigger studio space. When she listed all the things she planned to do before our next call, I itemised them and then asked her to estimate how long each task required. By the end of the list, she realized that there were not enough hours in the week to get it all done. By readjusting her timeframe and expectations, she avoided the stress of overwork, and that awful feeling of not getting anywhere. Having reasonable targets she can achieve creates a pattern of feeling accomplished, which builds momentum. Also, it improves her leadership skills, because she can then communicate accurate time frames when talking to her staff about the upcoming move.

  • Toggl Track is a full-scope time tracker that gives business owners data to make decisions relating to project planning, hiring, and workflow
  • Clockify has a free forever plan and excellent reporting functions

Calendars and Reminders

Our devices have tools for accountability built in. Use these free apps to streamline bookings, appointments, and reminders. These are designed to sync between mobile and laptop, so events and notes can be entered anywhere you are logged in. This prevents double bookings, missed meetings, or forgetting deadlines. For example, schedule tax remittances and government filings, and reminders for performance reviews, policy renewals, and software updates.

  • Google Calendar
  • Reminders

CRM

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software is one of top tools for accountability for owners of a service business. It’s a way to keep track of all client communication and preferences. Since building trust with customers is so critical in a service business, a CRM eases and even automates timely communication and personalization. Used correctly, a CRM has the power to level up the customer experience of a company and create a competitive advantage. It also centralizes information, which means important details don’t get lost in notes or emails. So if you agree to call a client with an update in 3 weeks, schedule it in the CRM. On the right day, the task with relevant data pops up so you can follow through to the promise made to your customer. A CRM is so valuable for staying accountable around communication and meetings. Also, a CRM allows entrepreneurs to delegate tasks to staff and monitor activity, which raises the bar of accountability across the whole team.

Recommended Reading

CRMs to try

  • Agile CRM has all the basic tools, and can grow with your business to add on more features and tools as you need them

 

  • Zoho CRM has a free plan, is scalable, and integrates with many other tools

Recommended Reading

CRMs to try

  • Agile CRM has all the basic tools, and can grow with your business to add on more features and tools as you need them

 

  • Zoho CRM has a free plan, is scalable, and integrates with many other tools

Bookkeeping

This seems obvious, but actually, many entrepreneurs fall behind on bookkeeping. Also, it’s not unusual for a business to outgrow the bookkeeping system it started out with. Or, that all the available functions are not fully integrated into operations. For example, receipts sit in an email box instead of being attached to transactions, or invoices don’t flow in a timely manner to an A/P process. Staying on top of finances is critical for business owners, because unpaid invoices and a mess at tax time is stressful. So using a strong bookkeeping system is one of the most important tools for accountability so an entrepreneur can manage cash flow, expense tracking, and tax responsibilities. 

  • QuickBooks allows for expense tracking and budget monitoring as well as robust features to integrate employee time keeping, payroll, and creating quotes for potential customers
  • FreeAgent is an easy to use full featured bookkeeping software that gives a service business owner all the tools needed to manage expense tracking, invoicing, payroll, and reporting.

Accountability Partner

Technology has transformed how we live, learn, work, and communicate. I value it and the ability to work with clients all over the world. Using the tech available is smart, but it’s not complete without the human aspect. An accountability partner is an important tactic to get feedback, clarity, and perspective. Here are 3 valuable tools for accountability that are known to elevate performance and results for entrepreneurs.

Mentoring

Mentoring can be  informal or structured. It can be a casual monthly coffee meeting with an expert in your sector. Or, it could be a structured arrangement to provide guidance through a particular project or stage of business transformation. Though many mentoring relationships are volunteer based, some are paid.  Get started by reading  How to Find the Right Mentor for You.

 

Mastermind Group

Mastermind groups are ideal for brainstorming and accountability. Like-minded people can gather to share expertise, get feedback, and stay on track with targets. Mastermind groups can be ongoing or for a specific length of time.  And of course, they can be in person or online. Read ​​7 ways to Find a Mastermind Group from the Mastermind experts at The Success Alliance. 

Business Coaching

Business Coaching is not just about strategic planning, it’s also effective as an accountability partner. I frequently hear clients tell me that they finished all the items on their action list the day before our session, because they didn’t want to show up without it done. Quite simply, deadlines work! No one likes to be the only kid in class who didn’t do their homework. Choosing the right business coach is important. Book a free call with me to chat about where you are at with your business, and where you want to be. 

Habits and Tools for Accountability

Learning new software may seem daunting. And changing habits is never easy. However, it’s worth the effort to incorporate tools for accountability into operations and workflow. Though it may take some time and effort to set up, the payoff is enormous. By streamlining tasks, setting reminders, and accessing financial reporting, business owners can stay accountable to their responsibilities as a leader and strategic planner. Also, connecting with a mentor, mastermind group, or business coach will provide all the benefits and support of an accountability partner. These tactics all combine to help an entrepreneur achieve their business goals.

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What is body doubling

What is body doubling

If you’ve wondered what is body doubling, read on to understand how it’s a thing that can transform your productivity and focus. I’ll be honest. When I first heard the term, I thought it sounded like something out of science fiction. As in “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” – some form of nefarious replacement of humans with something….else. But I soon learned that it is a radical and very post-pandemic method of working that every entrepreneur and business owner can benefit from.

Why I looked for body doubling

First, I’ll share how I discovered body doubling. It was summer of 2023 and I had left my home base in the UK to travel full time as an entrepreneur coach. My routine back in London had been to spend the day at a coworking space. This had a number of advantages. It gave me a workplace separate from my home, which is so valuable for mental health and balance. Although working from home has many benefits, it can also be challenging to have a life and a business in the same space. It’s healthy to create a boundary between the personal and the professional.

What is body doubling
My favourite spot at my London coworking space

Also, it gave structure to my day, because this coworking space had only hot desks available. Which meant that if I arrived  first thing in the morning, I could pick my favourite spot by the window, near the water cooler. But if I procrastinated and rolled in later, I could end up squished in a corner seat. Therefore, it motivated me to stay on schedule and show up on time.

And finally, the energy of being in a room of people all working online was invigorating. Sure, people work at a coffee shop, but there are also friends talking and the noisy chatter of small children. It’s social. At a coworking space, it’s all about work. Certainly, people have friendly conversations. But the whole purpose of being there is to work. Which is a great space to focus and be productive.

Finding body doubling

Therefore, in the summer of 2023, my first task as a full time digital nomad was to find a place to work. And to create a routine and structure that would provide all the benefits of my co-working space in London. I spent my first month on the road in Tunis, where I did find a charming coworking space in the medina. Then I went to Canada to spend time with family. And this is when I learned about body doubling.

Although there were co-working spaces in the city where I stayed, nothing was a good fit. Because there was no parking, or it was a long commute. All the usual reasons why people choose to work from home in the first place. Also, some were not friendly for the needs of a digital nomad, and required a long contract.

So I pivoted, and started to search for alternatives. I don’t know what combination of words I used in Google. But when I came across “what is body doubling” I was immediately curious. And then relieved that it wasn’t something out of science fiction!

What is body doubling
Near my coworking space in the ancient medina of Tunis.

What is body doubling

I soon learned that body doubling is the online version of being in a co-working space. That it’s a digital room where people can show up to work. Think of a Zoom meeting, but more purpose and structure. Sessions are scheduled throughout the day to accommodate all time zones. There are 60, 90, 120, and even 180 minute sessions available. Each session has a host who leads the 5 minute block at the start and end of every session. These are the 5 minutes when everyone in the session can share what they are working on. It’s a powerful method to create accountability. It’s subtle, and it works. Because joining a body doubling session for 1 hour and stating your goal does help a person stay focused. If only because it is so satisfying to mark that goal complete at the end of the session.

My body doubling experience

My very first experience with body doubling was late summer 2023, when I joined a Flow Club session. What I loved first was its very open and accepting culture. Everyone there was free to do what worked best for them. The camera can be on or off. Share your goals out loud, or use the chat window. Listen to whatever music the host is playing, listen to your own stuff, or work in silence. And most of all, it was inspiring to see the many ways that people were using body doubling to be productive and get shit done in their life and their business.

For example, there were people starting their day, using body doubling to keep them on track with a morning routine of exercise, meditation, and journaling. Then there were people following an evening routine of reflection and planning. Some used a session to focus on administrative tasks or to finish a specific project. Others were students working to meet a big academic deadline. Which made me wish I’d discovered body doubling when I was finishing my MBA. I am sure it would have saved me from hours of stressful procrastination! 

Flow Club for productivity

Of course, there were other entrepreneurs, just like me. Running a business can be isolating, so this is another benefit of body doubling. Flow Club is a group of people who work online for one reason or the other. I soon discovered that by joining sessions regularly, I’d see the same people. Seeing familiar faces gave me the same sense of community I experienced going to the coworking space. It’s the same vibe of being friendly, yet also focused on the tasks at hand.

Overall, I honestly believe that Flow Club has transformed how I work. When I plan out my week every Sunday, I book sessions around when I have coaching calls with clients. This creates focused blocks of time to work on client projects. It also creates space to work on the important tasks of analysis and planning that every business owner should spend time on. When I really want to create accountability for my schedule, I host a session. Because the responsibility of being a host will certainly get me to show up and get into the flow of working.

If you are an entrepreneur and ready for a safe space to work productively ON your business, I highly recommend you check out Flow Club. There are over 1,500 weekly sessions to choose from! The focus and accountability of body doubling gives a huge return for owners of small and medium size businesses. Completing tasks, getting confetti, sharing frustrations, and hearing the encouragement of others is priceless. 

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Best Habits for Entrepreneurs

Best Habits for Entrepreneurs

With 2023 coming to a close, talk tends to turn to New Year resolutions. Personally, I see each day as the start of a new 365 day cycle. Essentially, every day is an opportunity to begin a transformation. However, I do appreciate how the crispness of a fresh year is motivating. To inspire your 2024 resolutions for your business, here is a list of the best habits for entrepreneurs.

What are habits?

First, let’s get clear on the definition of habits. Habits are behaviours and choices you make regularly. These are frequently automatic, unconscious actions, like scrolling through your phone while having that first cup of coffee.

According to James Clear, the author of the groundbreaking Atomic Habits book, research has shown that habits account for about 40% of our behaviours on any given day. And each individual small habit may seem insignificant on its own. However, as it is repeated again and again over time, the aggregate effect is enormous. Think of a leaky tap. It’s just one drop at a time, but after enough hours pass, the sink would overflow and flood the room.

This is what I find so inspiring about hagstones – they are proof that small actions over time have the power to create breakthroughs and significant change. Which is why these best habits for entrepreneurs are valuable for service business owners looking to level up in 2024.

Best Habits for Small Business Management

Keeping on top of business management functions is one of the best habits for entrepreneurs. When these tasks slide, it creates problems which can be costly and stressful to resolve. Therefore, it is important to maintain these regularly.

1.Bookkeeping

Ok, this is boring stuff, but it is important. When bookkeeping is updated monthly, financial reports can be reviewed to track budgets and monitor results. This includes monthly and annual tax filings for employee remittances, government tax submissions, and any required reporting.

2. Journaling

The habit of keeping a journal creates space to reflect and brainstorm. It’s useful for small business management as a safe place to record ideas and vent frustrations. 

For more, read How to start a journal to increase success as an entrepreneur

3. Taking a break from business

Certainly, it seems counterintuitive to say that taking time away is a good habit for small business management. However, burnout for entrepreneurs is real. So making a habit of time for fun, rest, and relaxation benefits the business. After all, when an owner is exhausted, it negatively impacts their ability to manage effectively.

Best Habits for Team Building

Even a small team benefits from team building. Doing these activities regularly will create stronger communication and cooperation, which improves productivity. 

1. Hold regular meetings

This could be a monthly review of KPIs, or weekly share of projects and priorities. Keep it short and meaningful to boost staff engagement. 

2. Build a feedback loop

To create a supportive environment, make sure there is a feedback loop to hear from your team. While a structured annual performance management review is valuable, also make regular check-ins a habit. Monitor mood and performance for changes. Give them an opportunity to share concerns and ask questions. 

3. Reward and recognition

Does your team know when they are doing well? Make reward and recognition a habit. This can be as simple as sharing when someone has gone above and beyond. Also, you could build a structured system of earning points to be redeemed for paid time off, a cash bonus, or a gift card. 

Best Habits for Strategic Planning

It is not unusual for business owners to be so involved in daily operations that no time is spent on review and analysis. The best habits for entrepreneurs in 2024 include these strategic planning activities.

Best Habits for Entrepreneurs

1. Monitor KPIs

Not sure what this is? Read What are KPIs.

How do you know how your business is doing if you don’t monitor metrics? Numbers don’t lie. Make it a habit to regularly review performance, output, quality, and financials. Compare current results with last month or last quarter, and also look at the difference year over year. This is a valuable habit of small business management which drives decision making. 

2. Competitor analysis

Make it a habit to keep track of what competitors are doing. For example, if part of your growth strategy relies on a specific competitive advantage, that may shift depending on what your competitors are doing. Smart strategic planning requires understanding what similar businesses are doing. Otherwise, how will you know how to stay competitive, and spot opportunities to grow?

3. Review market and sector

Also, regularly check in with trends and changes in your sector. Consumer expectations shift over time. And changes in technology impacts productivity and profit margins. Therefore, make it a habit to stay informed and up to date with political, technological, and societal changes that impact your strategic plans.

Overall Best Habits for Entrepreneurs

As shown above, actions repeated regularly over time creates meaningful results. By making these activities a habit, entrepreneurs develop strong business management skills. Remember that where your business is now is a direct result of habit and behaviours of the past. Finally, embrace these habits in 2024 to level up and grow your business.

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