Accountability is a powerful tool that can be used to overcome challenges and achieve professional goals. By setting clear goals, finding support from others, utilizing technology, and learning from failure, individuals can harness the power of accountability to overcome obstacles and stay motivated.
Whether it’s training partners for a marathon, journaling buddies, or regular video calls to discuss progress with your business coach, accountability is an effective tool for staying motivated and on track.
Set a Goal
You aim for a goal, like hitting a certain revenue threshold. An objective is a set of actions and measures to help you achieve your goal.
Achieving goals helps staffers feel empowered and provides incentives for delivering excellence. It also shines a light on areas where improvements need to be made.
Business coaches often use a SMART framework to help teams define and track their business objectives. These are specific, measurable, attainable, and time-bound. This scientifically precise method creates a powerful momentum that propels teams toward success. The same technique can be used by solo professionals who work with a business coach to clarify their business objectives. The key is to be honest about what you want to achieve and to avoid setting unrealistic or unattainable goals.
Make a Plan
Many think of accountability as catching someone when they do something wrong or rattling them out, but this negative approach doesn’t create a culture of responsibility. Instead, accountability clearly defines expectations and holds employees accountable for accomplishing those goals.
A business coach like Portocol will work with you to make a plan for success. This may include helping you identify your strengths and weaknesses, optimizing your skillsets and ensuring you take the steps necessary to achieve your goals.
For example, if you’re struggling with sales, your coach might recommend taking a vacation or sabbatical to get a fresh perspective on your work and come back better prepared to sell. Your business coach will be honest with you, even if it’s uncomfortable.
Make a Checklist
Creating a checklist gives you something concrete to work with. It also helps to provide you with a sense of satisfaction when you cross tasks off the list.
Avoid relying too heavily on a checklist, however. This may be too much to handle, which deters you from finishing the assignment.
It’s best to consult stakeholders in the creation of a checklist. This will ensure that the checklist meets the user’s needs and expectations.
Consider using visual aids and color coding to make the checklist easier to read and use. In addition, try to prioritize tasks and include detailed instructions that eliminate the possibility of misinterpretation or error. This will ensure that the tasks are completed correctly and on time. Also, consider adding notes or comments when necessary to provide additional context or clarification.
Make a Plan for Failure
Experiencing strategic failure in your business is part of the trial-and-error process. Learning to cope with it can strengthen your ability to overcome future obstacles and improve your overall problem-solving strategy.
Accountability is one of the most important qualities a company can foster, but it cannot be easy to achieve in the workplace. This is often because it is associated with punishment or other negative consequences and requires individuals to step outside their comfort zones.
Unlike the common perception, accountability is not about catching employees when they fail or making them feel guilty. Instead, it is about creating a positive culture of responsibility. This will lead to a more productive workforce. It will also ensure that employees are more attentive to the details of their work, reducing the risk of critical mistakes.
Take Action
Taking action means taking steps towards achieving your goals, regardless of the obstacles and failures. It requires you to be willing to learn from your mistakes and use those lessons to grow into the person you want to be. It also means being ready to push yourself beyond what you think you can achieve.
Accountability evokes a sense of urgency, which makes you more attentive to the small details of your workflow. This helps you complete tasks and projects with higher quality and accuracy, reducing the risk of critical errors.
To build accountability in a team, you must first foster trust and psychological safety. This will make people feel more comfortable sharing their work openly, asking for feedback, and taking responsibility when things go wrong.
