Accountability Partners
MENTORS, MASTERMINDS AND ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS: YOUR SECRET SAUCE SHARON VORNHOLT
Accountability Partners
I have had an accountability partner for about 18 months now, and it has been one of the best things I have ever done, both personally and also for my business. So how do you find one? The same way you find a mentor; you just ask someone. You can also put this question out there to people you know;“ Do you know someone that would be a great accountability partner for me”?
This person is a little different than a mentor and they will have a different role. Your accountability partner should be in the same or a similar business so that they will understand your challenges. However, they should not be identical to you in your skill set, or even necessarily employ the same identical business strategy. You should each have something a little different to bring to the table. My accountability partner and I meet every Tuesday the first thing in the morning for about 45 minutes to an hour by phone. We commonly exchange a couple of emails each week and may even have another quick phone call( or two) during this same time period. Here is one distinction; any additional calls will generally come after getting a text that says,“ Do you have a few minutes to talk”? The answer will typically either be“ yes or how about this afternoon after this time?”
Once again, you have to respect the other person’ s time. Your accountability partner should be there to help you solve problems, to bounce ideas off of, and most of all to keep you motivated and on track. Think of someone who is there to“ hold your feet to the fire”. My accountability partner and I are great friends now, but we also have the ability( and duty) to hold the other person accountable for what they say they are going to do. It’ s just that simple. If you are looking for someone to help you hold onto your excuses, that is not what this relationship is about. It is for that reason that I don’ t think close friends and relatives are good choices for accountability partners.