Accountability could be the missing link to a seven-figure business
And no, for the smart arses out there, I don’t mean £10,000.00! (rolls eyes).
I meet a lot of business owners that have built a modest business – but want more. But they feel stressed out that growth has stagnated, overwhelmed with the huge task list that keeps them working every hour, and can’t seem to get a team that care as much as they do.
Add to this a lack of financial visibility and a sales and marketing function that isn’t performing and it’s no wonder that cash is tight and it’s hand to mouth. Struggling to pay the wages every month and no money to invest in growth.The sad thing is that most of them have a great product or service and a solid reputation and occasionally a plan of some description.
So what’s missing? What do they need to unlock their potential?Accountability! Taking action.
Avoiding accountability doesn’t just grind your business to halt, it slowly kills it. Projects get delayed due to procrastination. Team performance weakens because there’s negative energy. Client service levels are dipping due to poor systems. Revenue stalls because sales and marketing isn’t working.
Worse still, you start questioning yourself. That creeping doubt becomes a silent saboteur, draining your confidence, energy, and momentum.
When business owners avoid the hard conversations, dodge the data, and stop taking responsibility, the entire business mirrors that behaviour. Poor culture sets in. Delivery falters. And the dream of scaling to seven figures slips further out of reach.
The problem is that nobody likes to hear the bad news. Nobody wants to be called out and held to account. Nobody wants to hear that their baby is ugly. Think of the awful participants on the X-Factor, whose friends and family have told them they’re great singers to not hurt their feelings (rolls eyes again!).
Tough love is… well, tough… but necessary!
The solution isn’t more hard work or sometimes even a better strategy. It’s ownership, and it starts at the top.
I was sat with a stalling business owner three years ago who proudly showed me his 50 page thick business plan. I asked when was the last time he had looked at it to review progress, “Nine months ago!” was his answer. My turn to roll eyes!
We started working together monthly and I held him and his SLT to account (with a one page update-able business plan). Fast forward and they have trebled revenues, more than trebled profitability and he works fewer hours than ever.
When Jim Farley became CEO of Ford, he didn’t issue complex transformation plans. He did something deceptively simple. He mandated every manager to attend a weekly operations call to discuss performance. When one said they were too busy, Farley let them go. He wanted every one of his leaders to be accountable.
That move shifted the entire culture. Suddenly, everyone understood that accountability wasn’t optional. Significant results followed.
You don’t need to be a global PLC to get the benefit. You can create that same shift in your business.
Here’s how:
- Owner-level discipline: Start with you. Audit yourself weekly. Did you follow through? Did you have the conversations you needed to have? Are you leading by example?
- Non-negotiable check-Ins: Like Farley, set weekly meetings with your SLT (team and 1-2-1) with clear agendas – KPIs (RAG reports are simple), project progress, resources needed. Everyone shows up, no excuses. The power isn’t just the meeting itself, but the accountability culture it creates
- Crystal-clear metrics: Everyone on your team should know exactly what success looks like and when. Ambiguous goals produce little and late results
- Have tough discussions: Being soft and avoiding tough love is great for the short term but just kicks the can down the road. Be firm but fair, provide resources as needed and ensure there are consequences for failure
- Be accountable: If self-accountability isn’t working, get yourself an external accountability partner. We all need some tough love from time to time
- When you shift from avoidance to ownership, everything accelerates. Your business and personal growth, your clarity and focus, and your team’s performance.
Accountability isn’t a burden. It’s non-negotiable if you want results. Adopt it and watch your company unlock it’s potential to seven figures and beyond.
If you think that getting help isn’t cheap, try avoidance, it’s much more expensive.
If you are looking for a sounding board to help you challenge the status quo, hold you to account, or need help developing a plan to navigate your next steps proactively, it’s time to chat.
