Written By Ari Greenbaum, co-founder of conXpros
Just before the start of 2019, I shared a post focusing on goal setting for the upcoming year. There were a handful to suggested focus areas such as: Going above & beyond regarding the level of customer service you provide, Improving your online presence, Increasing reviews from clients, & Creating health work-life balances. These were my suggestions, but every person has their own list that they should have created, set goals regarding, devised action plans, & held themselves accountable to. As 2019 comes to a screeching halt, it is time to look back and see what we excelled with and achieved, as well as the areas we missed on and figure out how to improve moving forward.
In addition to the accountability check, we must also be focused on the road ahead. 2020, the new year, will begin in a few days. If you have not done so already, there is no better time than the present to put some serious though into your goals for the next year, create the plans to achieve them, and get started as soon as the “ball drops” on the new decade.
Whether in goal setting and achievement, or any aspect of life, accountability is at the core of any successful business or individual. Success does not come by accident or dumb luck. Rather it is determined by our level of self-awareness and accountability. This should be getting done on multiple levels; short term (even daily/hourly) actions or goals, and long term goals (year(s)/months). If one is not aware, how can we be consistent? How do we know what we are doing well to replicate? How can we make improvements?
Just like anything in life, there is a process to follow when it comes to the accountability check-in. I suggest the following 2 assessment questions specifically in the order below:
- What did I do well? This is the most important question that most people neglect. Rather they start with “what did I do wrong?”. Well, that is the first thing “wrong”, asking a negative oriented or destructive question. It is important to focus on the things you have done well first. This allows your assessment to take on a constructive & positive nature. It also allows us to become aware of the good stuff, which is the first step in being able to replicate the things that are working (consistency). Be honest with your assessment, as you are doing this for your benefit. It would be virtually impossible to fail to identify some positive actions you can use as building blocks for future actions.
- What can I improve on? Notice the wording of this question. It does not say “what did I do wrong?” or “where did I screw up?”. This is intentional. When doing self-assessments you must stay positive and constructive. Even when evaluating the “misses”, it can be approached in this constructive way. Take note of what you could have done better. It is not a beat yourself up session. Rather it is to honestly identify what can be improved upon and then resolve & commit to making the necessary changes. Consistently focus on these “things to work on” and you will see your results skyrocket.
Accountability is not easy. It requires unwavering honesty and the ability to remain conscious of your actions. Start taking responsibility for your success. Stephen Covey put it best in his essay, Accountability Breeds Response-Ability. This is the formula for success. There is no better time to learn and practice these skills than right now. Do not wait until the new year has already started. Analyze 2019, set new goals for 2020, and resolve to be a better person and/or business than you are right now when you do your accountability check at this time next year. Cheers on a successful conclusion to 2019 & the future successes you will experience in 2020!
Happy Holidays and New Year!