Who are your accountability partners?

Who are your accountability partners?

Tim Connor

One of the biggest mistakes we can make in life is to believe that we always have the best or even only answers to our challenges, issues or problems that cross our life path. Is this you?  Ever made a mistake that could have been avoided if you had searched or asked for other’s opinions, ideas or suggestions?  Ever failed at something that you could have avoided if you had listened to the advice or council of others?  Well, I am guilty of both of the above mistakes in several areas of my life and I have to tell you the price in many situations was much higher than seeking out the recommendations or feedback from others.

I can also tell you from a different perspective having worked with hundreds of organizations worldwide that many of the companies that I am aware of that went out of business could have avoided this outcome if they would have just let go of their ego and asked others for their opinions, guidance or feedback.

In fact, I can tell you that over 1000 businesses fail every day in the US alone and most of these are unnecessary and in hindsight most of these business owners or executives would admit that their fate could have been avoided if they would have just asked others for help and listened to them.

Is your career, any of your relationships or business struggling for any reason or is your current business growth setting you up for future failure?  Not sure? Don’t know? Don’t care?  Well, much of this pain, struggle and disappointment can be avoided if we will just ask others for their help.  Do you have an accountability partner?  Partners?

If you don’t - I’ll bet, you;

-have some personal blind spots

-are in denial in some area of your life

-are not fulfilling your career or business potential

-are missing some life or business opportunities

-feel you are invincible and don’t need help from others

-only trust your own inner guidance system or experience

-and many other resons.

So, what is an accountability partner or partners?  I’m not talking about mentors here as they too can be of help during our life but too often there can be something missing in these relationships.  For example, one of my mentors is Mark Twain but unfortunately, I can’t talk with him when I need to.

An accountability partner is someone who;

You trust, respect and believe has the wisdom, experience, knowledge and willingness to help you during challenging and often difficult life or career periods.  They also;

-can inspire you during down periods.

-forgive you for stupid mistakes or errors.

-keep your issues private and don’t share them with anyone.

-let you be you and don’t try to change you or manipulate you.

-teach you to learn more effectively and honestly from yourself.

-build you up and encourage you.

-are completely honest with you and don’t hold back criticism but do it in a respectful way.

But most importantly they hold you accountable to yourself and your goals,

promises, commitments and pledges that you make to them, others and to yourself.

Got someone like this in your life, someone you can go to whenever, whatever or wherever?  Can it be a spouse, parent, boss or friend?  Yes, but it depends as these relationships can be muddied up when you also use them as your accountability partner.  My experience tells me that yes some of these people can be used as accountability partners for some things but not everything.  What we need is someone who can fill this role that we only have this role with.