Use accountability partners to succeed at anything you choose. There is an African proverb that says, “If you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” This is the idea behind accountability partners.
Never forget that teamwork makes the dream work.
We are all powerful, smart, strong, and capable. There are great things we can accomplish when we set our minds to it. Never let those facts make you think that you can or should do it all alone. To the contrary, there is great success to be had when you gather accountability partners to help you succeed.
Make Smart Plans and Take Action Now – Once you have made the commitment to take action now to accomplish your goals, it is time to get SMART about accomplishing your plans. When plans or goals are SMART, they are: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time Bound. Click here to read more.
Many entrepreneurs are competitive, driven, and results oriented. These are the kinds of people who are able to succeed with accountability partners. Accountability partners are people with whom you share your plans, ideas, and goals. Once you have shared your information, your accountability partners make sure what you want to do is SMART. Then the accountability partners hold you accountable.
In other words, these partners will ask if you are following your plan. They will want to know your successes and failures along the way. These partners will help you stay on track an stay on target. If you are like most entrepreneurs, your competitive nature will make you work to achieve as much as or more than your accountability partners. Your drive will push you to work to be prepared at each accountability meeting. Results drive you so you will want good results for yourself and your partners.
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Starting an Accountability Partnership
To start an accountability partnership, pick two people whom you respect and who respect you. Tell them that there are things you want to achieve and you think they can help you along the way. Let them know that you are willing and able to help them achieve their goals as well. These partners can be peers, friends, or fellow entrepreneurs. These must be people you can trust. They should be people who can speak to you and tell you hard truths.
Don’t be concerned if the partners you select for your first accountability group are not in your industry. It is more important that they have the strength to help you stay on target. You have to come up with the plan. It is your job to set SMART goals and plans. The accountability group is there to make sure you meet deadlines. They are to encourage you along the way.
Of course, it would be great to get peers or people who are further along in your industry than you. However, that is not the most important ingredient to a successful accountability partner. The most important thing is to find a partner who is strong at heart. You need a person who can speak to you without fear and are willing to help you achieve your goals. Find someone who will find you in helping you to succeed.
Be a Good Accountability Partner
Once you have found people who will make good accountability partners, your job is to be a good accountability partner. This means you show up to meetings on time, prepared, ready to listen, and ready to help. When your partners tell you that you have come up short, do not get a bad attitude. Instead, listen and look for ways to do better in the future. Treat your partners with courtesy, respect, and dignity.
Show your partners that you care about their successes and want to help them overcome failures. If you do not know about their industries, spend some time each week learning about what they do. It is good to offer general advice. It is better to offer advice based on industry knowledge.
Make Good Better – Take Action Now with SMART Plans – However, if you move forward to accomplish a smart plan, the action will be more productive and it is more likely that the goal will be reached and the plan accomplished. The old expression is, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Click here to read more.
Be kind and thoughtful when offering criticism. Remember bad news goes down easier when it is part of a praise sandwich. A praise sandwich is made of compliments, followed by criticism, followed by another compliment. Even though your accountability partners are coming to you to hear the truth, you don’t have to be hurtful.
Instead of hurting their feelings with only negative news, share praise sandwiches. They will help the bad news go down easier, and help protect someone’s heart. Always remember, you are an accountability partner and not a destroyer of souls. The Golden Rule has a great place in accountability groups. Treat people the way you would like to be treated.
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So, the question for you this magnificent day is, when are you going to find your next accountability partner?