After setting a goal, leaders maintain a laserlike focus on follow-through. When the going gets tough, they don't give up. The key is accountability.
If you hold yourself accountable for goal attainment, then you're less likely to let yourself off the hook as obstacles arise.
When it comes to accountability, the big question is how to make it stick. Should you enlist allies to cheer you on? Or is it better to hold yourself accountable — without involving others?
"A big chunk of the population doesn't want anyone telling them what to do," said Evan Carmichael, author of "Momentum." "They'd rather do it themselves. As long as you're progressing toward your goal, that's fine."
But others prefer to have someone else hold their feet to the fire. They find that reporting their progress (or lack thereof) motivates them to push harder. And if they're falling behind, they don't want to embarrass themselves when checking in with their accountability partner.
To strike the right balance, dig to determine what drives you to achieve a goal. How do you capitalize on accountability to advance toward a vital objective?
Get An Initial Push For Accountability
If you're eager to pursue your goal and can't wait to get underway, then you might have no trouble holding yourself accountable. But if you struggle to spring into action, others can play a big role.
"If you need help getting started, being around others who are also doing it can give you the courage to get going," said Carmichael, an entrepreneur who runs a popular YouTube channel. "They can give you the hand-holding and encouragement" to plow ahead.
Pick A Passionate Partner
If you enlist a friend or colleague to hold you accountable, make sure they treat it seriously. You want them to care about your performance and place a high value on your goal attainment.
"The best accountability partner has a commitment to help you and is interested in your success," Carmichael said. "So pick a partner who tends to ask powerful breakthrough questions" that spur you to persevere and reach your goal.
Quiz Yourself For Accountability
When deciding whether to hold yourself accountable or enlist others, ask yourself how you will track your progress — and ask potential accountability partners how they would do it.
"See if you can set parameters with them, like whether they'd be willing to meet with you once a week for 20 minutes," Carmichael said.
Then contrast their response with how you would hold yourself accountable. For instance, would you use worksheets, habit tracking apps or daily diaries?
Weigh Rigidity Versus Flexibility
If your goal is fixed and unchangeable — and you're sufficiently disciplined and motivated to reach it — then you're well suited to hold yourself accountable. But if you want to build in flexibility, an outsider can help.
"A good accountability partner can ask you, 'Is this unfolding as you planned?' " and help you weigh whether to reset your goal amid changing circumstances, says Vicki Halsey, vice president of applied learning at Blanchard, a San Diego-based training firm.
Accountability: Seek Personal Growth
Enlisting an ally to keep you on track carries risks. That person may push you too much (or too little). And you may lean on them rather than cultivating your inner strength.
"(Leaders) need to develop a sense of agency, of personal power," said Russ Ouellette, chief executive of Sojourn Partners, a coaching firm in Bedford, N.H. "And you do that by holding yourself accountable," not depending on someone else to monitor your progress.
Still, he acknowledges that "there's value in joining a mastermind group" if you want peers cheering you on. But it's more character-building to embrace accountability from within.
