When something or its purpose is not understood, it is likely to be misused and abused. Accountability is one of those misunderstood this and, as a result, not practiced well.
This is how you’re messing up accountability:
Crash Helmet
Most people treat accountability as something to keep them from doing bad. Well, that is a part of it and not the sum. The thing is you should be looking at accountability as a means to success and not prevention from failure.
Accountability doesn’t work well when he’s playing defense. Mentors, leaders and friends should be using accountability as a means to put measures for success and leaning into them.
Coffee
Too many mentors think that accountability is a cup of coffee with a person once a month. Again, that can be a part of it but not the sum. If you’re truly going to succeed, it is going to take more than one contact session a month.
Great accountability in mentoring means putting in measures that go beyond just a cup of coffee. One of the things that accountability should have is consequence. When there are no consequences as part of the accountability “system” it really doesn’t count for much.
This means more than, “I’ve messed up on the thing I said you must help me not to mess up with”. It means going into the reasons and agreeing with the person who holds you accountable on an offence strategy for success.
The most successful accountability plan is one of constant contact and interaction with those holding you or you are holding accountable.
Convenience
Some people only want to be accountable when it is suits them and is convenient for them. That is just downright messed up. In fact, it doesn’t constitute accountability.
Accountability doesn’t work or mean much if it is a switch that is turned on and off at convenience [Click to Tweet]
Holds Barred
Accountability isn’t accountability when those holding you or you’re holding accountable have areas they’re restricted in addressing. My reason for this: everything about you is connected. What happens in one area of your life or work etc. does impact other areas.
You’re messing up accountability when it is only applicable to limited areas. There is no job you, home you and so on. You are one person and whatever accountability strategies you employ need to view you and function as a single entity.
How have you seen accountability being messed up?
[Photo Credit: insidious_plots]