THE STRENGTH OF ACCOUNTABILITY

Have you ever wanted to do something great but were so incredibly scared about the very thought of taking action? Perhaps you have a habit or two that you know are really not good for you, and no matter how hard you try, the habit remains. If you relate to either of these scenarios, or others like them, then this article has been written just for you.

Sometimes when faced with challenges or something we know we need to do, the feeling of resistance to take action can be incredibly strong – sometimes even paralysing. Often, in this scenario people don’t act. Very soon, other things deemed as ‘more important’ start to drown out those action plans until they become a pipe dream. How would things change if someone who you highly respected and wanted to even impress, was going to ask about your progress?

This is the strength of accountability, and it’s a powerful force that can help a person act even in the face of incredible resistance and opposition. In fact, accountability is so valuable that it can lead people to follow through, gain momentum, all of which leads to the wonder of creating new, empowering habits.

The interesting issue here is that when a person is accountable to another, there can be an in-built need for connection and praise. Similarly, people whose integrity is so highly valued, will do anything to ensure they keep their word. So, if you really want to do something great and are finding resistance in some area of your life, then decide to be accountable to someone you trust and respect. That’s the strength of accountability, and this article will assist you in taking the next powerful steps to being accountable and taking action.

Accountability is the glue that ties commitment to the result.

- Bob Proctor

Accountability–what to consider first.

Strong and effective accountability includes a number of important factors which will greatly assist you in your quest. Things to consider include:

1. Finding a person who you trust and respect.

This is particularly important since not all people will encourage you or celebrate your goal. Some people can feel threatened by others who have goals and may even mock you and your efforts. So be particularly careful in selecting a person you trust. Thus, it may be necessary to find an accountability person outside of your regular circle of friends.

2. Giving them permission to ask about your progress.

The golden key to the whole accountability process is to allow your accountability person to ask you the hard questions about your actions and progress. This needs to be done regularly each week or fortnight. If you haven’t completed your committed actions, then they must ask you why. They need to hold you to a high standard if you truly are going to benefit from being accountable to someone and ultimately see your goals come to life.

3. Be willing to take responsibility for your actions and not make excuses.

There will always be reasons and excuses for not taking action. Ultimately, you will need to decide how to take action consistently despite the distractions in life–and yes, we all have them. If an excuse does happen to cross your lips, then ensure you have given your accountability person permission to challenge you

about this. It will really benefit you and your attainment of your goals.

4. Committing to the completion of your goal in a desired timeframe.

This is critical to accountability since a goal without a date can potentially extend on for weeks/months and years, and thus may never happen. Always have a goal and then break that goal down to smaller more manageable tasks. E.g., a yearly goal will be broken down into quarterly actions and monthly, weekly, and daily actions. Then when you meet with your accountability person, you can discuss weekly goals. This will keep you on track.

5. Take action and celebrate.

Remember, once you have followed through, it’s so important that you celebrate. This is one of the exciting aspects of being accountable to another person where each week you can report back your actions from the week and then look back together to see how far you have come. Celebrating action is also important since sometimes results can be delayed. So, just taking the action is a celebration in itself particularly when it seems challenging.

So, if you have some big goals and don’t know how to step into them or make them come to life, then I encourage you to find someone who will hold you to a higher standard. After all, your goals are not only about you but also about all of the people who benefit from the person who you’re becoming, and those things that you will contribute to the world.

Kathryn Dodd is a human behaviour consultant with a passion for leadership. She is currently the Director of media company, Great Health Guide™, and Founder of human behaviour consultancy, Being All You Can Be. Kathryn provides a solid platform to consult with her clients to help them overcome limiting mindsets, discover solutions, build strategic plans which lead to transformational results. Kathryn may be contacted via website, Facebook, or YouTube.

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Terry Sidford