Accountability and Follow Through in Business… Where Have They Gone?

Three steps to get closer to success!

I’ve come to the realization that succeeding in life really is quite simple. It’s called accountability, follow through and be a nice person. My father was right when he frequently emphasized to my sisters and me, “If you say you’re going to do something, do it!”

“Be a nice person and your kindness will come back to you.”

“Accountability will get you places before anyone else gets there.”

I think my dad’s comments are even more relevant today than they were years ago when I was a child because we’re losing the importance we place on accountability, follow through and being a nice person.

When you are the sole owner of a business and your name is on the products and services, daily you are willing to put every bit of energy you have into your business. In particular your clients and support system that help you make it all happen. No matter how much it hurts and how challenging it can be, without accountability and follow through your business will fail.

I’m not claiming to be perfect. Yet daily I meet many different personalities and communication styles. The three characteristics I’ve found that are most frequently absent are accountability, follow through and being a nice person. Sometimes an individual will lack all three and others will lack one or two.

I’m struggling with the number of individuals I meet that lack accountability and follow through. Are these two characteristics really that difficult to promise yourself every day? Have we become a society where it’s easier to put our energy in not being accountable and not following through?

Many leaders and motivational speakers have been talking about these characteristics for years and how they are the key to success yet individual’s still choose to opt out. I’ve been listening to The Challenge to Succeed by Jim Rohn. If you’re not familiar with Jim Rohn, he’s known as the most influential thinker of our time. He focused on the fundamentals of human behavior that most impact our personal and professional performance. He continuously expresses the key to succeed requires accountability and follow through.

Several quotes that reflect this concept by Jim Rohn include:

* “If you want to be more, you need to do more.”
* “Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better. Don’t wish for less problems; wish for more skills. Don’t wish for less challenges; wish for more wisdom.”
* “Don’t join an easy crowd. You won’t grow. Go where the expectations and the demands to perform and achieve are high.”

These seem like simple ideas, don’t they?

Imagine how your life would change if you begin to hold yourself accountable.

* Because you give more, you receive more.
* Your relationships are richer and healthier.
* You are richer and healthier.

If you want better results, have stronger relationships and achieve more in life, start with these three steps to get closer to your success.

1. Hold yourself accountable by pointing the finger at yourself rather than at others. Don’t sit and wait for others to take responsibility, begin to do it automatically. In the long run, you WILL accomplish more. How can success not occur when you begin with accountability?
2. Do what you say you are going to do. Begin by eliminating the word “try” from your language. Try simply means, “I won’t follow through.” If there’s any hesitation to what you can physically and mentally commit to, express this conce
and have the conversation rather than making broken promises.
3. Take your mothers recommendation, “RESPECT others like you want to be treated.” Get outside of your world and take a closer look at how your actions positively and negatively impact others. Think before you act and speak.

The things that are the most difficult to accomplish will have the greatest impact on our personal and professional life.
What are you waiting for?