Let’s Talk Business: Accountability

Happy Tuesday! This week is all about business and getting prepped for the fall. As summer comes to a close, I am in full planning mode so I don’t get slammed by fall projects. It’s been nice this week to have some time to actually get things done or maybe I just learned to adjust and get focused. (Working from 2-5 am probably helped.)

I have been really active with various Facebook groups to learn about business, health, and fitness which have really kept me in the loop! Facebook groups are a great way to network and get to know other people. It also gives you a break from all of the other crazy stuff happening from the normal people who use Facebook for its social intent.

Within all of the conversations happening, I do notice that it’s hard for business owners to take accountability for things, especially when things get awkward. Having a project run past the expected complete date, losing files, or being a poor communicator are all easy things that can happen to any of us but are things that are hard to own up to when the fault isn’t the clients. It’s easy to rant on clientsfromhell but it can be difficult to admit being wrong.  I want to share some ways that can help you to accountability when things aren’t easy.

It’s Not Them. It’s You.

We all make mistakes. One thing that you have to be prepared for as an entrepreneur is knowing you will make mistakes, sometimes big ones. We don’t always talk about making mistakes. We don’t talk about how we ruin projects or client relationships but those things happen. Sometimes we just can’t give it all we have and it’s not always OK, but it’s good to learn from it. Allow yourself to be in the mindset when a problem arises to know you’ve done everything you could from your end to prevent this. If you’ve made a mistake, it’s good to follow these steps:

• Find a solution. Quickly know how you resolve the problem. The sooner you know what you can do to fix it, the better.
• Communicate. Communicate your problem clearly to the client and provide the solution. Be sure to apologize for your error. More than likely, the client will be very grateful for your apology and be more than willing to continue with you. Humans make mistakes.
• Meet the demands. If things don’t go great with the communication and the client asks to terminate the project, sometimes it’s better to do so. You have to know when to try to negotiate problem and when to let things go. Make sure everyone is aware of the project termination clauses mentioned in your contract and move on from there.
• Apologize again. After the problem has been resolved, apologize again and move on. I am a sucker for sending thank you cards and client gifts. If we don’t meet deadline or something happens (computer failure, etc.), I’m always sure to get the client something nice and they are always grateful.

Learning to Fail

Nobody looks to make mistakes within their business. It’s tough when you’re hit with your first problem or even your hundredth. You have to learn to fail quickly and bounce back. The biggest portion of accountability is owning your mistakes and not letting them own you. If every problem sends you into a level five panic, entrepreneurship will not be easy for you. Let things happen, be present in the solution, and go through the healing process. You can always come back better and stronger if you’re willing to.

What are some ways you can be more accountable this week?