Accountability Partners

A sense of accountability or willingness to accept the responsibility of ones efforts to achieve set goals is necessary to accomplish success.   All to often, it is easy to make excuses to why we aren't accomplishing what we need to.  Even easier to make these excuses to ourselves. 

Business mentors or "Accountability Partners" can be great motivators and hinder the use of excuses.  If you have someone to report to, you're less likely to take the easy road.  I know I would be embarrassed to continuously have to tell my Accountability Partner why I hadn't accomplished what I set out to. 

You can find a great Accountability Partner in your business circle.  Fellow Chamber members, industry groups, or even a co-worker.  Be sure to find someone you can trust to keep your discussions confidential, who possess traits of confidence and creativity, and who is able to engage and challenge you.

Meeting consistently is key to a successful partnership whether it be weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.  Having a set date to report your progress will give you extra motivation.

Accountability Partners can also help you refine your business skills.  Not everyone is a master of all things and their approach to time management, goal setting, or work/life balance could educate you on better tactics.  They may also have a unique approach to a particular task, extra insight due to experience, or greater personal knowledge on a subject. 

If you don't have one already, I highly recommend that you find an Accountability Partner this year and start enjoying all the benefits of this kind of partnership.  Feel free to post comments about your partnership's successes and lessons learned.