The Value of an Accountability Partner
Just today, I’ve had conversations with 4 different people all of which, at some point, centered around the concept of accountability partners. For those who aren’t familiar with the term, an accountability partner is someone who supports you (holds you accountable) in achieving the goals that you’ve set for yourself. A simple example of this is an exercise buddy. Studies have shown that having an exercise partner not only increases the likelihood of following through on the commitment to exercise but also improves your mood and mental health.
The individuals I was speaking with were all seasoned professionals. Each had achieved success in their respective fields. And yet, as they were contemplating stepping out of their comfort zone in some aspect of their life (in some cases professionally, and in others, personally), they recognized the need to engage an accountability partner to help them stay committed to this change in behavior.
What are a few tips for effectively engaging an accountability partner? First, this needs to be someone that you trust. For them to be able to support you, you need to share with them not only what the goal is and why that goal is important to you but also what may have prevented you from achieving it in the past. In this way, when the going gets tough, when you want to walk away, they can remind you of your ‘why.’ This leads to the second aspect which is that you need to respect them. They need to be able to tell you what you need to hear — even when it’s not what you want to hear — in a way that you’ll be able to take it in. And, finally, you need to be clear with them about the type of support you are looking for. There is a big difference between “I want to be able to send you a daily text message with my progress and, if I don’t send it by 8 pm, please text me to check in” and “I’d like to speak with you weekly to talk through my progress, or lack thereof, and I need you to hold my feet to the fire when I’m making excuses.”
As you look at your goals for the year, are there any that you’re not making the progress that you’d hoped to? If so, this may be a great opportunity to invite an accountability partner to support you. This could be a friend, coworker, family member, or even a coach.
