When I first went self-employed, some eight and a half years ago now, one of the pitfalls I hadn’t planned for was how to make effective decisions.

One of the biggest challenges in today’s world is the lack of accountability. We see world leaders not being held accountable on issues of equality and diversity or climate change, we see celebrities and politicians acting as though they are above the law and it has an impact.

Today in the UK we need about 2.5 planets to provide the resources for our consumption and absorb our waste annually. By resolving to be a better business; reducing negative impacts on and generating positive impacts for your key stakeholders you have an opportunity to be a force for good.

Some time ago you left employment to set up on your own. Whether it was your own choice or one forced on you by redundancy you’ve made a success of turning your specialist skills into a service others want to buy. You’re now looking at how you can grow further.

There is an old saying that to assume makes an ASS out of U and ME. This saying highlights the fact that often when we make assumptions we are misjudging or misunderstanding both our own position and that of others.