Hey leaders! You’re listening to the Crazy Big Dream Podcast. This is episode 68. The Key To Accountability.
If you have accountability groups, if you help pair team members up as accountability partners, if you do anything to offer accountability to your team this episode is for you. Stick around for the key points I’m sharing with you today.
Ok. Accountability. It’s a necessary evil. Well, if you’re looking to grow and build and succeed it is.
If you’re looking to dabble, casually take whatever level of success comes your way, well then accountability is optional.
And this distinction is important. Which is accountability key point #1 of 3 today that I’m sharing with you.
This distinction is important because sometimes we let anyone and everyone join in for the accountability strategies we offer. Don’t we? And there is a place for this, for sure. Because you never know when someone’s going to take it and run with it. Right?
The intentional approach every so often is to offer an exclusive group that you tell everybody about but that you pre-screen, filter, interview, or be choosy regarding who you let into the accountability group or program that you may offer.
How do you do this? This could be as simple as posing a few key questions to help her identify if she is ready or not, right now.
You could also offer something like a Google form or a social media poll, whatever your style is or whatever you find most helpful.
This extra step alone is sometimes enough to weed out those that simply aren’t ready right now. They’re not willing to take the time to make that extra step to do the form or take a poll.
This helps attract and keep those who are serious about results in a timely fashion. Will everyone do everything the group has to offer and embrace accountability? No. Certainly not.
But it will help you save time and headache around those that jump into groups because they want the results, but simply aren’t ready for the accountability. You know the ones. Do not give up on them! This can be difficult to recognize within ourselves. It’s your opportunity as her mentor to help her identify this.
Key #1 is to recognize the distinction and opportunity around someone who self-proclaims she is ready for accountability, ready to grow, to build, and to succeed in a timely fashion and the team members who think they are but maybe need help recognizing if now is the time.
Key #2 is about matching team members as accountability partners. The common misstep here is that many leaders match team members that want to advance to the same level or rank or have something similar in common as individuals.
The problem with this is that the level of drive someone has can easily and quickly fluctuate. Life happens. It happens to all of us. The odds of two people sticking it out when life happens can vary greatly. I’m not saying don’t pair accountability partners.
Key #2 is to always ensure you’re overseeing the partnership. You have to stay involved at some level. You have to have some level of involvement in the accountability, in the relationship, and in the progress.
Too many times I see leaders set up partners and then let them go off on their own. Expecting the best. And yet many times, never knowing how it’s progressing, what’s working and what’s not.
So many times one partner loses steam, falls off, and stops communicating and the other team member is shaped by that, and off on her own again, the leader doesn’t even know they aren’t working together anymore.
Communicate your level of involvement up front. You can keep it easy and simple and include different layers. Maybe you have a virtual check-in they need to complete individually or together. Maybe you have a virtual bi-monthly or monthly quick meeting to check in and guide their focus.
You decide how you want to run this and what you want to offer but don’t let accountability partners go off and run independent of your oversight, and mentorship. Be the glue that holds everything together.
Key #3 of 3 today is accountability can sound well unfun to so many. It can sound like work. It can sound daunting. It can sound like being checked up on. Many people get into this business because they’re go-getters. They want to do it their own way. They don’t want to be bogged down or slowed down by accountability.
Key #3 is to create your own word for your accountability programs. One that doesn’t use the word accountability. Maybe it’s “Success Club” or maybe it’s an automatic pairing that you do when someone joins so they don’t know anything different.
You simply match up the two most recent team members that joined and they get to advance, grow, learn, and have fun together. How ever you do it, be mindful that the word accountability isn’t going to resonate with everyone. It may turn some away. Some may know they need accountability and be drawn to it.
Variety is key here. We’re always trying to reach team members in different ways to attract the most, build community and keep them connected throughout their business journey.
Let’s take a second to review the 3 key points around accountability. I know, you’re so inspired right now to go tweak your accountability groups or check in with those team members you paired up that hmmm, you wonder now after listening how it’s going.
Key # 1 There is an important distinction to make between those team members that are ready for accountability and those that want the results, but simply aren’t ready for the accountability to help them see results.
Key #2 is about accountability partners. Don’t set these up and step away. Make sure you’re overseeing these partnerships.
Key #3. Be mindful of what you call your accountability programs and groups. Not everyone is drawn to the word accountability. It may steer some away. Be creative and choose a word that can attract the most.
I hope this episode has you eager to take a fresh look at how you approach accountability with your team.
Click over to Instagram @yourcrazybigdreams and share your top takeaway!
I can’t wait to hear what you’ll do differently!
The best is yet to come. Always.
