The end of a year always calls for some reflection, both personal and professional. What worked this year? What didn’t? What could I have done better or differently?  

Businesses in Massachusetts and across the country will be reflecting on the decisions they made in 2012, but even more importantly, they will be looking forward to 2013 and ways they can start on the path to success or continue to grow.  

One thing these business leaders must keep in mind when they look forward and talk about “success” for their company is defining success. What does it look like to our company? For some, it may be reaching the $1 billion in assets mark or doubling the client roster. For others, it may mean simply staying afloat during a tough economy. Whatever success is, it is vital that you clearly define it before embarking on the New Year. After all, if you don’t know what success is, how can you ever achieve it?

With increased scrutiny on private business and a more complex regulatory environment, it’s more important than ever to stress accountability and transparency. Business leaders can avoid scandals and limit backlash if they operate transparently with both stakeholders and associates, something that seems obvious, but few actually practice.  

Have you held yourself accountable as a leader? How do you behave when no one is around? Are you only accountable when others are looking? If you’re surprised to find that you aren’t as accountable as you thought, you’re not alone.  

But the road to accountability is not as bumpy as some may think. In the coming year, simply move forward with the mindset that you are going to do everything you say you will, which you can easily achieve by asking the right questions before agreeing to anything. At Baystate, for example, we employ a “Clear Agreement Form” for all projects, which not only spells out a project, its details and deadline, which all team members have a say in, but also ensures that all associates, no matter their titles, are equally accountable.

Accept Responsibility

If your business suffered in 2012 and you believe the volatile economic climate and uncertainty in our nation’s capital is to blame, accept it and consider what you can do to change the direction your company is going in. There is no one to blame for your lack of success other than yourself.  If you can see that the current environment will not allow you to reach however many billions in sales, it’s your responsibility to redefine “success” and hold yourself accountable for reaching it.

A mindset of 100 percent accountability won’t just help you reach sales goals or get that promotion you’ve been working toward; it can also lead to personal success outside of the office.  Maybe you want to move to Europe, but you’ve always had excuses – “I can’t leave now, my sister’s sick,” or, “There’s no way my boss would accept my resignation without making a scene.”  It is no one’s fault but yours that you haven’t made that dream a reality.  If it’s your goal and you communicate it openly and clearly to your family, friends and colleagues, you should be able to succeed.

This coming year, make it a goal to stop blaming others, whether it’s your dad for sending you to a public college, not that Ivy you set your sights on, or your boss for never listening to your ideas, and start holding yourself accountable for everything that happens in your life.  With the mindset that you alone have complete control of your destiny, you can succeed in 2013. 

David Porter is the owner of Baystate Financial Services in Boston and author of “Where Winners Live.”