Creating An Environment of Accountability

Creating an environment of accountability can be very rewarding in many areas of your life. By having accountability the people around you see that you are serious about your business and your word. When others see you making shifts in your accountability it gives them permission to do the same in their lives. They may notice that you are being more successful or happier in your life and are wondering what is different. Understand while learning to master accountability, you will have to think differently and act differently than what you have done up to this point. People will wonder what is different even if you do not tell them. They may come to you and ask what happened.

On the other side of this is when you are not being accountable in your life, people who want success may go elsewhere to find support. You are likely going to attract other people who do not want accountability in their life. You may decide to look back in your life and may say something like “How is it that I keep getting people in my business that do not want to work”.

Having a lack of accountability can result in challenges such as:

• Reduced Team Productivity
• Reduced Profitability
• Low Follow-Up and Poor Customer Service
• Lack of Personal Growth for Self and Team Members
• Stress and Frustration with Team Leaders and Self
• Low Team Interactions

If you want to have people that are fun, enjoy what they are doing and reaching for new goals… Create Accountability Partners!

If you want more information on creating the best “Accountability Partner” go to the Be A Legacy web page and purchase the E-Book on Partnering Up For Greater Success. http://www.bealegacy.com/classes.htm

Know that accountability requires measurement, follow-up, consistency and consequences. Allowing someone else to help keep measurement allows you to close any back doors that would give you excuse to not go after what you say you want. By following up with an accountability partner you are more likely to complete because you do not want to let anyone down or look bad to your partner. Being consistent is important because it helps you to form a habit. When you forma successful habit it helps to eliminate a habit that is not working well for you. You trade an effective habit for a not so effective habit. Consequences allow you to put yourself on the line. If you do not do this then you pay a price. The price may end up being the loss of a great customer, a future business associate or people believing and trusting in what you say you will do. Accountability can correct these areas for your success.

Accountability is cultivated when:

1. Declare your goals publicly to a team of supporters, your family members or to one partner. When you declare publicly, you then have a duty to fulfill this declaration. This is a bold statement to the world that you are going after your life in full force.

2. Share your plan with those who will hold you accountable. What are the steps you will take to reach your stated goal? How will you break this down to be manageable for you to be successful! This shows people you have put in some thought and are serious. Get their suggestions and make changes in your plan if one of their ideas works for you. Let others know when you have completed even the smallest or steps towards your success. Celebrating small victories along the way can help to keep accountability rewarding and fun.

3. Set up a consistent meeting time to talk with your accountability partner(s). This gives you a deadline to complete so you can be at the meeting with a clear conscious. Share with your partner about what your challenges were and what you did to overcome them.

4. Give your Accountability Partner permission to always speak the truth to you. It is their truth and you can look at that as feedback from your partner. You get to then make a decision. Allowing them to speak truthfully to you gives them the feeling of trust and that they matter to you in this partnership.

5. You state your commitment and your partner says it back to you with full understanding. This is so you both are clear in what you are asking for and there is no confusion on what it is you choose to be held accountable for.

You do not have to have someone hold you accountable for every goal you go after! If you have a good sized goal or really big goal… I highly recommend getting support from an Accountability Partner!



Eye Opening Exercise
Make a list of the last 10 goals that you have set. Write next to each one “Completed” or “Not Completed”. Stop and take a look at what you have completed and what was not. Next to that write a number based on how many people you had told this goal to. And then how many of those people followed up with your. Is there a clear idea for you on what you completed with support and without support? Look back and see if you remember whether you had fun or not. Did you enjoy the process better with support than without?