The Power Of An Accountability Partner (And A Challenge For You)

This is Tara and Sarah, accountability partners over in The WHM Club. With their backgrounds in HR and passion for personal development, they really are the perfect match. ​

What is an accountability partner exactly?

An accountability partner (or 'motivation buddy' as I like to call them) is a person who knows what you are trying to accomplish and holds you accountable to yourself and your goals.

I have lived the bulk of my professional life in very structured, team-based corporate environments.  And over the past few years, as I have been building my business, I often found myself swimming in to-do lists and a bit lost without the structure.  Most of all, I missed the camaraderie of being part of a team and having people to bounce ideas off of.

My dear friend Sarah was going through something similar.  She’s launching a business and found herself occasionally spinning her wheels, in analysis-paralysis.  We found that when we had the chance to catch up we would inevitably talk about our work.  We were brainstorming and giving each other advice, and quickly found that not only did we love hearing about each other’s businesses, but each of us was getting the other to move forward in ways we weren’t doing alone.

We decided to organise a bi-monthly one-hour check-in over coffee and Skype so we could keep one another motivated and accountable.  

We were able to accomplish a number of critical objectives because of our mutual support system. For Sarah, we dove into her business plan, brainstormed company names, and also discussed questions for consumer feedback interviews. Shifting to me, we talked through my plans to grow my business and reach more mums needing my support. This reciprocal partnership allowed us to expand our networking efforts and make introductions to people in our network. Additionally, it increased empowerment and confidence for both of us to get unstuck and move forward with our goals.

After every call, I felt energised and re-engaged with my work and mission. I knew Sarah would hold me accountable, checking in with me on my to-do’s and calling me out when I was doubting myself or making excuses for why I didn’t have time to do a particular task.  We celebrated accomplishments big and small, and also commiserated and offered a sympathetic ear when we had disappointments or setbacks along the way.

Bottom line: I had a partner who was in the trenches with me and wanted me to succeed.

My challenge to you: 30-minute weekly check-ins with an accountability partner for 4 weeks.

Find someone like-minded, whose thoughts you trust, who can play the role of your accountability partner (and you to them).  These are some things to keep in mind when choosing a partner:

• It can be a friend, colleague, fellow mum at your kids’ school. You don’t have to be tackling the same challenges, yet should be interested in one another’s goals.
• It’s important that your partner be objective and supportive of your goals rather than have his/her own agenda.
• Find someone who can give constructive feedback and not just a cheerleader, or worse, a naysayer.
• Give your partner permission to call you out when you’re letting yourself down and allowing yourself to stay stuck.

​Schedule a quick 30-minute check-in call once a week for 4 weeks. Check in, ask how they are doing on their goals, keep them moving forward.  Assign each other “homework” so you can stay on track.

It’s also important to have a relationship where questions and thoughts via emails, texts or calls are encouraged in case you require feedback in-between. The last thing you want to do is squelch the momentum because you have to wait for your next regularly scheduled meeting to get your partner’s feedback.

Final tip: Don’t go it alone. 

If you can’t find the support you need, whether it’s through family, friends, or colleagues, why not think about joining The WHM Club? As a member you'll be matched with an accountability partner to help you keep motivated and on track with whatever it is you are wanting to achieve at home and at work. Enrolment is open from now until 15 August and you can find out all the details here. 

Regardless of which method you choose in select an accountability partner, this first step toward forming a partnership will reap endless benefits as you tackle big goals in your career and life.



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