The Power of Accountability

Have you ever benefited from having an accountability partner?

Motivation may help get you started, but when it comes to achieving a goal and sustaining the results, you may need to rely on more than your desire to succeed.

If you have ever had a running or workout partner, you have likely experienced how much it helped you stay on track by having someone to run or exercise with. Making the commitment to stick to a goal can be much easier when you’ve told someone else that you’ll be there at 6am, rain or shine, ready to put the miles in.

The same is true with professional and business goals; sharing them with someone else creates a lot more energy and momentum to follow through, keep at it, and work through challenges. An accountability partner is a highly effective tool for increasing productivity, personally and professionally.

You might be surprised how motivating and powerful it can be to share your goals and plans with someone else. If you don’t already have an accountability partner, think about someone you could ask to do this for you.

Once you select your accountability partner:

• share your goal(s) with them
• be specific in describing the steps you plan to take
• schedule regular check-in times; ask them to hold you accountable
• revisit your goals and strategies periodically to make sure you’re still on the right track

When we commit to something publicly, we are much more likely to follow through. We know that the person we have shared our intention with will ask us about our progress or our success. Studies show that you have a 65% chance of completing a goal if you commit to someone. If you have a specific accountability appointment with them you will increase your chance of success by up to 95%.

Would you like to learn more about the benefits of and best practices for having an accountability partner?

In February, our “It’s About Time” virtual productivity program will focus on Accountability in Action. You’ll learn about how accountability works as a productivity strategy, how to choose an partner to hold you accountable, how to structure the relationship, check-ins and much more.

If you have goals you want to achieve and think you would be more successful in achieving them with the help of an accountability parter, we’d love to be yours. You will get important work done and get a return on your investment in short order.