(2 minute read)
Unfortunately, we tend to have a close association with the word’s accountability and guilt. This may stem from the fact that we don’t always meet our own expectations.
Accountability is the substance which helps bind commitments to results and assists us in achieving challenging and ambitious goals.
Our inability to hold ourselves accountable for personal commitments opens the door for us to consider adopting an accountability buddy. Someone who can assist us – and remind us – in our quest for achieving desirable and admirable goals.
Research supports the use of accountability buddy’s (or partners), highlighting the fact that you are more likely to achieve a goal or outcome if/when you have someone on your side helping to keep you accountable to the goals you set for yourself.
A good friend or respected colleague can become just as invested in your goals as you are, making them a valued ally in this exercise.
So, a task for you to tackle now, is to identify the right person to become your accountability buddy. Let them inside to your thinking and the end-goal you are aiming to achieve, including what you need from them. (This may include regular, gentle reminders, through to courageous conversations to call out your inactivity toward the agreed goal).
In addition to the regular check-ins with your buddy, be sure to do some self-reflection to track your own progress – not relying too much on external persuasion to chip away at the goal.
Making the link between personal accountability and personal achievement is a necessary step in any personal and professional development journey.
Now, get cracking!