Success Habit: Working with an Accountability Partner

Sometimes we are more successful meeting commitments to others than to ourselves. This fact is the basis of what is known as using an accountability partner. What an Accountability Partner is Not An accountability partner is not a boss. Such a person does not pay us or reward us. We pay and reward ourselves for satisfying the commitment. Nor does our partner punish us. An accountability partner does not tell us what to do. Accountability is not mentorship; while a mentor could be our partner, the two functions are separate. An accountability partner does not give advice or counsel, nor do they analyze or critique our performance. What an Accountability Partner Is An accountability partner is someone who agrees to help us by listening and tracking our commitments. Such a person is acting in a neutral mode, neither praising nor criticizing our behavior. They are simply tracking our results. To use such a person correctly, we meet them on a periodic basis. Every time we meet our partner, we tell them what we plan to do, and when we plan to get those goals accomplished. The partner makes a record of those commitments. Then, when we meet again, we inform him or her of our results. The partner makes sure to cover all the commitments that have been previously made. The partner then informs us as to how well we are meeting our commitments. The power of such a relationship is based upon the human desire for respect. The best person for this role is someone whose respect you desire to either get or keep. By meeting our commitments, we can gain that respect, which is our reward. Why an Accountability Partnership Works Often, people are more responsible meeting commitments to others than to themselves. After all, if we are committing to just ourselves, we as humans can be very good at making excuses and justifying not reaching the goal. We use our schedules, our work, our relationships as excuses and explanations for why we did not achieve our goals. But when we make that commitment to someone else, we do not want to make those same excuses; it makes us sound weak and ineffectual, which is not the image we want the other person to have. Accountability partners are not necessary or required. People can hold themselves accountable to themselves, and eliminate the use of the other person. However, especially when making a fundamental change, having someone else in the process can be very inspiring. Making a commitment to someone else can help us learn to be consistent and persistent, which are traits we need to reach our goals. If you are interested in having an accountability partner, trying being one for someone else. This will almost always inspire someone to serve you in the same way.