Get Accountability for Clarity

“There are few things more powerful than a life lived with passionate clarity.”

Erwin McManus

One of the definitions of clarity is ‘being easy to see or hear.’ But sometimes it’s not that easy to see, hear or know what we want in business. There are times when it’s helpful to get some help from outside ourselves to gain some clarity and perspective on where we’re going in business. This is where an accountability partner can be a great resource and sounding board. I know that I’ve had many times where just talking to someone else got me outside of my head and talking made solutions come forward.

When it comes to clarity in business, these are some examples of types of clarity we may need help with:

• Deciding to leave a job and start a new business
• Deciding to change careers mid-life (many women change half way through life)
• Deciding to create a different business other than the one we already have
• Deciding to add something new to our business model
• Deciding to add new services or products to our business
• Deciding to remove services or products from our business
• Deciding what tasks to delegate- as we get busier or discover tasks we don’t like
• Deciding to hire employees
  • that’s a big one to change from owner to employer
• Deciding if we still love what we do

How We Can Take Action to Gain Clarity

• Give our brains a break and let ideas come through without trying so hard
• Get quiet and look within:
  • Meditate
  • Pray
  • Walk
  • Hike
  • Kayak
• Read or take classes to learn more about what we are considering doing
  • Talk to others to learn more about what we are considering doing
    • Example: If you are thinking of hiring an employee, speak with others who have gone down this path, especially someone in your own industry is helpful
    • Explore hiring employees vs. working with subcontractors
• Look at what other people in your industry have done that we want to do
  • Example-creating packages for your services
  • You aren’t doing it to copy someone else, but to get a starting point for ideas
• Write out long and short term goals for your business

What an Accountability Partner Can Be

• An accountability partner is not here to tell us what to do or how to do it
• We should be matched with an accountability partner who:
  • Can listen to us
  • Can give us feedback
  • Who is open to what we have to say
  • Will check in with us on our progress
  • Someone we can trust
  • Someone who will keep what we share between us private

How an Accountability Partner Can Help

• Listen to us as we talk about our ideas
• Give us feedback when we ask
• Review things that we are working on
  • Packages
  • Pricing
  • Logos
  • Website design
    • Make sure we don’t take advantage, if you wrote a book, your accountability partner is not there to edit it. Hire an editor.
  • Help us set up timelines or deadlines for completing projects
  • Set up dates to check in on our progress
  • Ask us what we need with questions like:
    • How can I help you?
    • What can I help you with?

Action Items

1. Think of one or two ways your accountability partner can help you with something you are thinking about or working on
2. Ask for their help

“The keys to brand success are self-definition, transparency, authenticity and accountability.”

Simon Mainwaring’