It has been said by many that a goal not written down is merely a wish.
There is some truth in that idea but over the years I have written many goals down I did not ultimately achieve. Writing a goal down is always important but what I have learned is that written down goals have a higher probability of being achieved when you engage an Accountability Partner. The AP’s role is not to admonish you for not staying focused on your goal but to simply be someone who provides support and direction when you stray from the target.
The AP should:
- Be someone you trust to hold you accountable and not just pat you on the back.
- Be willing to challenge the very essence of the goal (Macro-Accomplishment) and why it matters to you, its impact, and how it connects with your own strengths.
- Be someone who will commit to follow up and follow through during the time allotted to achieve the Macro-Accomplishment.
- Be made aware of your timeline and your targeted achievement date and be willing to do “check in” calls periodically to discuss progress, challenges, and provide feedback.
- Be engaged in the celebration of the micro-accomplishments made along the way to realizing the Macro-Accomplishment.
- Be willing to partner with you when necessary to provide skills or resources that you do not possess needed to achieve the outcome desired.
- Be willing to challenge you to get back on point when you lose focus with constructive direction and communication.
You should also consider becoming an AP for this person or someone else. By embracing the role of the AP you will see the process from a different perspective and solidify the need to stay committed.
Accomplishment Culture© is a proprietary team and individual coaching program focused on creating “Purpose Driven Individuals and Teams” and is offered through Avery Executive Search and its parent company Avery Partners, Inc.