Comments on: How Outsourcing Can Make You More Accountable

By: Finding More Time For Christmas « Proactive Admin Services

Finding More Time For Christmas « Proactive Admin Services — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:19:52 +0000

[...] I found a very imformative post written by Karri at Partnering With a Virtual Assistant earlier this week titled How Outsourcing Can Make You More Accountable. [...]

By: Ruth Martin, MaplewoodVA

Ruth Martin, MaplewoodVA — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:00:17 +0000

Accountabilty can be one of the most powerful motivators. It’s been said that if you say it aloud you will become motivated and if you say it aloud to another person you become accountable.

What changes? Your perception, your attitude, and often your determination. It’s pleasing to fill that place with my clients — checking in to gauge the progress, assisting whenever possible, and becoming a Details Diva when necessary (also known as a “Nag with a tiara.”) Seldom is the tiara really needed but it’s in my bag of tricks. You’re an awesome client, Karri!

By: JudyAnn

JudyAnn — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 19:11:37 +0000

There is nothing like having someone who knows what is next on the team! I wrote a blog post at my blog: Virtually @ Eight Twenty-Two (http://barjdcommunications.com/virtualblog) that has a little more opinion on the possibilities. ACCOUNTABILITY COMES WITH OUTSOURCING TO A PROFESSIONAL VIRTUAL ASSISTANT

Again, I completed the ping back portion. I hope it works here!

By: Virtually @ Eight Twenty-Two » Accountability Comes with Outsourcing to Professional Virtual Assistant

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 19:08:22 +0000

[...] Partner with a Virtual Assistant, Karri Flatla of Snap-Virtual Associates, Inc wrote How Outsourcing Can Make You More Accountable where she discusses her positive experience working with a virtual professional ( virtual assistant) [...]

By: Dana Fortier

Dana Fortier — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 16:08:15 +0000

I have with my clients regular “check in” times – at the beginning of the relationship, we make a determination if they want to check in weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, etc. We also schedule goal review chats, which occur monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly… A lot of the time the timing changes, but the clients begin to look forward to knowing that they have this time that’s just for them, and they also (sometimes) feel guilty if they haven’t done what they said they wanted to accomplish.

When we have our goal review sessions, I take LOTS of notes, and then a couple of days after the meeting, I send a summary of what we talked about with a general guideline of dates, etc. When the time for the next session draws near, I send the summary again with a short note that says something like, “Just to let you know our next goal session is _______ and here’s the summary from our last meeting so we can see where you are, and where we need to take you next.”

Its a little bit like coaching, but I don’t call it that. I call it strategic partnering. Solopreneurs/entrepreneurs and busy executives seem to like that term – strategic partnering.

I also do a thing called “Brain Dumping” with my clients during our regular check ins, which sometimes also get put into the goals because when someone’s got something on their brain, sometimes all they need is to dump it out, get it on paper and see how its going to progress. Sometimes it just needs to get out so that some other flash of brilliance can formulate.

My VA services have really changed since I first started out. I thought I’d be an assistant, but in the short time since I started, I’ve figured out that there are certain things I love to do, and certain things I absolutely don’t like to do, so I’m now playing to MY strengths, which help my clients play to theirs.