News Flash: The Hard Truth About Business Accountability
by Gwen Baird
When things aren’t going well in your business, there’s one undeniable fact: it’s nobody else’s fault except YOURS!
That’s right, the buck stops with you.
You are responsible for your team's performance and the results of your business.
However, this doesn’t mean you need to micromanage.
The opposite is true. You must give your team the space and trust to complete their tasks effectively. But that doesn’t mean you step away entirely. It’s your job to monitor progress, assess performance, and ensure that things are being done correctly.
If things are not going right, you have to ask yourself: why not? The answer lies in one simple but powerful thing — data.
DATA. DOES. NOT. LIE. #FACT
Let’s put this into context with an example. Suppose you’re running a Facebook Ads campaign. Your goal is to drive traffic to your website. The ads are doing their job — traffic is pouring in, but there’s a catch. Despite the increased number of visitors, nobody is buying.
So, what’s going wrong?
You’ve probably heard the old saying: “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.” In business, that translates to: you can bring people to your website, but you can’t force them to buy.
However, data gives you the tools to figure out why.
If visitors are clicking through but not converting, it’s your job to ask, why not?
Is there something wrong with your website?
Is the user experience confusing?
Do you need to showcase the value of your products?
Once you identify the problem, you can fix it and start seeing the difference.
Stop Shifting the Blame
Too often, I see business leaders shifting blame to their team, external factors, or anyone else but themselves when things go wrong.
But the truth is, if you don’t understand the ins and outs of your own business or know how to fix things, you’re holding it back.
Here’s a tip: regularly evaluate your team’s performance — and allow them to evaluate you too. You might be surprised by the insights they provide. You may discover that the problem lies not with them, but with your approach or leadership style.
It may be hard to hear, but facing this truth is often the key to unlocking success.
In reality, business will only thrive with a leader who takes responsibility, understands the data, and acts on it. So, the next time things aren’t going well, remember: the buck stops with YOU!