Do you tend to avoid taking the tough steps?
Is procrastination getting in your way of success?
In this post I will share a form of support that just might be your answer to these limiting ways.
Beth Buelow of The Introvert Entrepreneur defines an accountability partnership as “an intentional partnership of mutual support and accountability”.
Entrepreneurs of all types tend to spend a considerable amount of time alone. As a leader of your business or a solopreneur you may not have someone to talk to, bounce ideas off, or to help you bypass your typical roadblocks. When left to handle it on your own all sorts of stories and excuses can commonly rise to the surface and your inner dialogue can leave you unaccountable and not taking the action steps you otherwise know you need to take.
One effective solution is to embrace a structured way to bring someone into our business or professional life who can fulfill the missing elements I just described. It’s called an accountability partnership. It’s a powerful way to make a meaningful connection with someone else and can be an excellent form of assistance/support.
Whether you like to have control or if you have introverted tendencies you still have space to be independent and unattached.
Who is it for?
If you’re an entrepreneur who is working on their business, tend to get caught up in procrastination or avoidance of certain tasks you know you need to do then this is for you. If you are committed to your business and are willing to engage fully in a process that can make a huge difference in your results then this is for you.
Who should your Accountability Partner be?
- An entrepreneur who is equally committed to the process and in creating significant outcomes for each of you.
- Someone who can talk on a regular basis. It takes time to trust and share deeper issues. Trust in important.
- Someone at a similar place on the E Path as you.
- Someone with strengths and skills different from you.
- Someone in a related but different industry (similar but not same work). There is great value in parallel industries for ideas, best practices, different perspective.
- A person coming from a place of power (confident, grounded) and not a place of fear. Someone who has a positive outlook for their business.
I am currently involved in 3 separate accountability partnerships. Each is for a different purpose. All three are not geographically close to me so effective use of technology is key. Each one has the following mutually agreed upon elements.
How do you form accountability partnerships
- Set boundaries for what the partnership is and what it is not.
- Set structure for when, how, and how long to meet. For who is supposed to contact whom. For how much off topic sharing vs direct work stuff is wanted.
- Create mutual support. Each is fully engaged in helping each other succeed.
I find that when we remain true to our agreed boundaries and act to mutually help each other succeed the experience is powerful and highly productive.
It is different from formal professional coaching in that coaching is all about you, your business, and your life. A coach is highly trained to ask pertinent questions to get you working through your blocks and barriers and towards the action and results you want. Their ability to support likely exceeds that of an accountability partner and you have their undivided attention.
It differs from a mastermind group of support too. While similar in the sense of mutual support, that support is divided among a group of people. If it is professionally led there is the advantage of leadership to ensure a high level of value for all involved and possibly a solid structure being followed leading to great results for all.
Assistance has been shown time and time again to be the difference between being stuck, enduring life and successfully building the business of your dreams.
Consider an accountability partnership, a mastermind group, or private coaching as the solid assistance to lead to the success you want and engage with it consistently from here on out.
Remember…
“Life is meant to be embraced, enjoyed and fully lived, not merely endured!”
To your success,
Brent
Be an advocate of Entrepreneurial Freedom and the global movement of conscious creators. Please share this with anyone you feel would enjoy the content. I appreciate your support in growing our community of entrepreneurs!
Beginning with a degree in exercise science and kinesiology, Brent Haydey has evolved over thirty years as an entrepreneur; building four businesses, and as a health, executive, and life coach.