Get The Power of Accountability in Just 7 Days

“The Buck Stops Here” was a wooden desk sign that sat on Harry Truman’s desk.  He would refer to it in speeches.  A visual cue that he made the final decision and held himself accountable.

Now when I walk the aisles of HomeGoods, the desk signs read, Boss Babe, Goal Digger, or Lady BOSS.

Not the same level of accountability.

I love your feminine spirit, Lady BOSS, but one thing you can’t delegate is accountability.

What is Accountability?

Simply stated, accountability means doing what you say you will do.  You can ask someone else to write the content for your next product launch, but when you are the Boss Babe, you still own the responsibility for getting it done.

Accountability is hard to find when you work from home either by choice or circumstance (thanks Corona).

It’s still worth seeking if there’s a project you want to get done.  Being accountable to someone stokes the fire of motivation because your actions are being watched.  

Let’s take workout buddies, for example.  An accountability classic.

I’m behind schedule in getting this blog post up because my alarm didn’t go off yesterday.  I missed the magical morning hours of writing, but I still won’t blow off my 8 am walk because I’m meeting a friend.  

Accountable to You

Want a fast pass to the power of accountability?

You can hold yourself accountable with a bit of planning and a simple tool.

Write your top goals for the week and create a time log.  Keep track of how you spend your time for the week.  

At the end of the week, sit down and compare how you spent your time to the progress made on your goals.  Note when you fall off track and why.  (Remember my example of the alarm malfunction?)

This why question is important!  Why did you waste time?  WHY?

It could be as simple as an interruption from the kids or something harder to face, like succumbing to the lure of scrolling Instagram.  Digging into the why might get uncomfortable, but this is where you can find the solutions.  

Shame vs. Accountability

Beware of the blame game.

The point of this exercise to hold yourself responsible for how you’re spending your time.  Find where you are falling off track and come up with a solution.

We are all human and we’re going to make mistakes.  If you start calling yourself “stupid” or “lazy” for not making progress, STOP.  This is shaming.  The line between shame and accountability is thin.  

“Shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging.” Brene Brown

Having trouble staying out of shame, or is it easier to have external accountability?  I’m here to help.