Sometimes it helps to be accountable to someone other than yourself. I’ve always considered myself to be self-motivated, but I’ve tried something new and I’m surprised at how well it’s working for me.
Not too long ago, a friend of mine put out feelers looking for a new “accountability partner.” After we talked, her definition of an accountability partner is someone from a different industry who meets with you occasionally, provides outside advice, and helps keep you on track. I decided that I was game, and so now I have an accountability partner – or an “accountabilibuddy.” (Note on that name – it’s from an episode of “South Park” where kids worked on the buddy system in a camp.) I heard the name on South Park and now I can’t get it out of my head. So, my friend is my “accountabilibuddy.”
Kim Hibdon is my buddy’s name; she’s one of the best realtors that I know (if you have a need, you can reach her at kansascitykim.com), a good friend, and someone with great business instincts. At first, I wasn’t sure what I could gain from her, nor what she could gain from me, but it’s become a very nice partnership. One thing that we lose when we become entrepreneurs is the accountability of having someone to report to; someone who keeps track of our progress and keeps us on track. Having an accountability partner addresses this. Neither one of us wants to come to a meeting with no progress or accomplishments in the past two weeks, so I think each of us works harder to make things happen.
Having a relationship like this also divorces the accountability – and its related occasional kick in the pants – from the boss/subordinate relationship; we can be honest with each other in a way that most people rarely are with their bosses. Even if you are working for someone else, I would strongly suggest forming this type of a relationship. You’ll find that the outside input is very helpful. If you want to go down this road, here are a few hints:
Your accountabilibuddy should be GOOD. Make sure that your buddy is successful at what they do. I see some of these relationships that are just two unsuccessful people blowing smoke at each other. Successful people keep each other successful, motivated, and moving forward.
Pick someone from a different business. It’s tempting to hook up with someone from the same company, or even the same industry. Don’t. One of the things that makes this relationship powerful is the outside perspectives that come from two people who make a living in different ways.
Have an agenda. We started out with a “state of the business” address, and then worked from there. We set goals and objectives, and then monitor them from meeting to meeting. We get together, have a nice lunch, and then review objectives from the last two weeks.
Set short term action items. We leave each meeting on an action-item. In other words, we set up at least one major accomplishment that needs to be done by our next meeting (if you haven’t guessed already, we meet every two weeks).
Don’t be afraid of the other person. In our short time together, Kim and I have both applied a gentle kick in the pants to each other to make sure that we’re getting where we need to go. It’s only through this pressure that we can help each other achieve our objectives.
A relationship like this isn’t easy, but it can be rewarding. I would encourage all of you to give it a shot.
