If you don’t currently have an accountability partner or group that you meet with, then consider it something that will change everything for you and your business.
How accountability can change everything
I meet with my accountability partner every other Tuesday at 3pm PST – same time, same place.
I already have it blocked off on my calendar – schedule it to make it real – it never changes. Having it this way saves me and my accountability partner time and frustration; we know when our time to meet is, and we’re both committed to being all-in 100% of the time.
How to find an accountability partner
If you’re not currently meeting with an accountability partner or group, then I have 1 question for you: Why?
Maybe you don’t know where to find one?
Perhaps you’ve had an accountability partner in the past, but it didn’t work out?
If you don’t know where to find an accountability partner, then I have some recommendations for you:
Try joining or participating in one or more of the following to connect with like-minded people – these are the best types of people to become accountability partners with because they’re on the same page as you.
- Join a Private Facebook Group related to your industry or niche & engage consistently;
- Participate in an in-person meet up or mixer in your local area & mention to those you chat with you’re looking for an accountability partner;
- Attend an event or conference in your industry or niche & spend time building relationships with attendees; connect with those around you and mention you’re looking for an accountability partner.
Accountability isn’t going to just show up on your doorstep.
Accountability will not suddenly appear out of nowhere and offer itself to you.
You have to work in order to put accountability in place; only then will you start to see the benefits that come as a result of being held accountable.
How an accountability partnership should be set up
Accountability is about consistency.
Accountability is about honoring your word and doing the things you say you’ll do.
Accountability is about commitment: being there for your partner 100% of the time and holding them accountable.
Scheduling is the very first step. Without a consistent meeting time in place, it will be very easy to let your accountability meetings slip through the cracks.
Schedule it
Setting up an accountability partnership should start with you and your partner scheduling a recurring day & time that you’ll meet.
Daily? Weekly? Bi-weekly?
I’d recommend starting out weekly, and then gauging from there how often you’d like to meet (more or less depending on where you’re at in your business).
Make your accountability meeting time the same every single time. Every Tuesday at 2pm? Every Friday at 8am? Whatever it is, make it recurring and actually put it on your calendar so the time is blocked off.
Structure it
If it’s just you and 1 other person, then 1 hour is a good chunk of time to split down the middle and discuss your goals, what you’ve accomplished, and to set deadlines for when you’ll complete your next goal.
If you have more than 2 people, then you’ll likely need 1.5 – 2 hours in order to give everyone their fair share of time.
An example of how a 1 hour accountability meeting might be structured with 2 people:
5 minutes: hello & quick chat
15 minutes: person A shares:
- 1 thing they’ve accomplished since last meeting
- 1 thing they’re struggling with (for feedback)
- 1 thing they’ll accomplish before the next meeting
10 minutes: person B provides support, honest feedback, encouragement / discussion
15 minutes: person B shares:
- 1 thing they’ve accomplished since last meeting
- 1 thing they’re struggling with (for feedback)
- 1 thing they’ll accomplish before the next meeting
10 minutes: person A provides support, honest feedback, encouragement / discussion
5 minutes: re-state your commitments & goodbye
Commit to it
Committing not only to your accountability partner (that you’ll do what you say you’re going to do AND that you’ll hold them accountable to doing what they say they’ll do), but also committing to yourself that you’re all-in, 100%, is what will help your accountability partnership be successful.
If you cannot commit to being consistent and honoring your word, then you will not be successful with your accountability partnership.
How is an accountability partnership different from a mastermind?
An accountability partnership is typically just you and your partner (2 people total), while a mastermind is anywhere from 3 – 8 people (including you).
An accountability partnership is specifically geared towards holding one another accountable – so that you do what you say you’re going to do.
The partnership is based on helping one another set S.M.A.R.T. goals, and then actually accomplishing those goals through holding one another accountable.
A mastermind is geared more towards sharing big ideas, projects or roadblocks you’ve hit in your business, and then getting feedback and advice from the other members of your group.
Your mastermind is there to help support you and hold you accountable (just like an accountability partnership) if that’s what you’re requesting.
They’re also there to help share ideas, give recommendations and feedback, and to discuss business struggles and successes with one.
Accountability can change everything
If you don’t currently have an accountability partner or group that you meet with, then consider it something that will change everything for you and your business.
I cannot count the number of accomplishments I’ve had or the number of goals I’ve reached as a specific result of my accountability partner being there for me.
When someone else expects something of you – and you’ve committed to fulfilling that expectation – there is a lot more urgency and drive put forth towards accomplishing that goal.
Try it, and then let us know in the comments section below what your experience with an accountability partner has been!
