Let us show you…
how a Virtual Assistant can hold you accountable for getting things done

Did you know that a Virtual Assistant, as well as being skilled at a whole host of business tasks, can also make an excellent accountability partner? As business owners, we all have many more good intentions than we can manage. We are also full of enthusiasm for our ideas, but that doesn’t mean we can implement them all. However a little accountability can go a very long way, as this blog explains.

As expert Virtual Assistants based in North Yorkshire, we have numerous years of experience behind us. We support the legal sector, small businesses and entrepreneurs nationally. We are increasingly being asked to support our clients with accountability.

What is accountability and why is it important?

Accountability in the workplace is about showing up and doing what you said you would do. It is about taking responsibility for your deadlines and all manner of duties related to your core responsibilities. Accountability is important because it plays a big part in making sure a business achieves its potential.

Accountability isn’t, however, something that comes naturally to everyone and is not always easy to maintain. This isn’t a personal failing, far from it. Being human means that we can lack productivity skills, find motivation slipping and so on.

An accountability partner can help prop you up when needed. When your accountability partner is also your Virtual Assistant, you benefit from processes and reminders that help you and your employees stay on track more easily, spotting any issues ahead of time. A win-win!

Why a Virtual Assistant makes a great Accountability Partner

When seeking an accountability partner, you want someone who understands your vision and goals and is committed to helping you achieve them. Because Virtual Assistants are also business owners, we empathise with the barriers to getting things done as we experience them in our own businesses. This also makes us well placed to know how to overcome them.

A good accountability partner will call you out when you are holding back and question you when you are not showing up with the focus and purpose you have committed to. Thanks to the good working relationships Business Owl nurtures with clients, we are able to do this with tact and diplomacy!

Objectivity

As your Virtual Assistant is ‘an outsider’ rather than an employee, your VA can give an unbiased and dispassionate perspective. This could be where things are being overlooked, or not being completed on time. Being impartial, in some cases, a VA can be the perfect person to chivvy you along when task lists start to run too long or balls are starting to be dropped through lack of organisation or another reason.

This is particularly useful for any sector that is regularly audited, such as the legal sector which we specialise in supporting. A VA can help prepare you for audits by ensuring everyone concerned knows what is expected of them, keeping everybody up to date with deadlines and relevant paperwork, and generally taking the stress out of the situation.

Another way that a Virtual Assistant can keep you accountable is by monitoring and measuring key parts of your business to ensure that targets are being met. Again, this additional and skilled pair of eyes can spot issues before they arise.

Working with a Virtual Assistant to maintain employee relations

Appraisals are fairly formal, and often a once-a-year occurrence. Regular 1-1 meetings with staff are, in some workplaces, one of the first meetings to fall through the cracks when things get busy. This is not ideal as they play a large part in promoting growth, tackling concerns and boosting employee wellbeing. Through effective diary management, our team of Virtual Assistants have been able to keep leaders accountable when it comes to these types of important meetings. This is just one example of how a VA can make an excellent accountability partner for your business.

Jen Workman, Business Owl founder and Virtual Assistant

In summary

Maintaining momentum when it comes to the countless aspects of running a business is not easy. For this very reason, business owners and leaders use the services of an experienced Virtual Assistant to hold them accountable and keep them on track. Are you ready to enjoy the accountability benefits of working with a Business Owl Virtual Assistant?

This article was written by Jen Workman, VA and Founder of Business Owl. We are expert Virtual Assistants based in North Yorkshire. We support the legal sector, small businesses and entrepreneurs nationally. To discuss how we can provide bespoke support for you and your business, please contact us for a complimentary chat on 07970 955535 or at jen@businessowl.co.uk.