Personal Accountability

This is an area which effects each one of us.

Consequently, we believe that it is important enough to warrant its own web page.

Taking personal responsibility for yourself is a Framework Foundational tenet along with being an integral part of our principles (i.e. see item 2.)

We highly recommend that you participate in this principle in all your interactions both personal, work and professionally - every where in your life.

For business people, we have some special recommendations. Please, first read the next few paragraphs. beginning with "Maximum Benefit" through "Look in New Places". This will prepare your thinking for something new before you begin with "For Business People Only".

Maximum Benefit

To allow you to get the greatest benefit from our many services and products,  no matter how you receive them, we suggest that you have someone, other than yourself, help hold you accountable.

Our experience has shown us that attempting to hold yourself accountable with no outside assistance can be temporary at best. We call this outside assistance an accountability partner.

You can accomplish this by finding someone who is like-minded and a considerate person, especially one who possesses a similar set of character, morality, achievement-focused and aspiration-driven traits, and behaviors.

You can find them - it may take some time but you will be successful.

Accountability Partner

An accountability partner is someone who will work with you on a consistent basis - we prefer weekly or semi-monthly.

The person you select to participate in your personal or business life should not be a mentor to you.

Their objective is to hold you accountable for the goals and important things that you commit and promise that you will accomplish.

You share these with your partner and they with you.

It is a long-term committed relationship that binds you together.

You are to help each other,  be present, and honest with each other.

Character Set For Partners

Our list is a starting point only. Select from the list that which works best for you. Use it when you speak with a prospective partner.

1. A loving and considerate person
2. A good sense of humor, especially able to laugh at themselves
3. Able to articulate their beliefs which at a minimum will include faith in themselves and others (plus - see higher power in 9.)
4. Considers themselves an aspirant
5. Possessing Character - able to speak truth, know it and see it in others
6. Demonstrates morality in their behavior; able to keep confidences
7. Possesses consistent patterns of behavior
8. On the CAM Awareness Scale, rated overall at least an 8 or better.
9. Finally and preferably, they are connected spiritually in some way (i.e. whether deep within themselves and/or a higher power other than themselves or outside of themselves).

Meet In Person

We prefer you meet in person to discuss the character set frankly and openly.

Look in New Places

We also suggest that the person you seek is not in your current circle of relationships.

Seek people with similar traits to yourself and find them in different domains of experience, professions, and industries.

You will gain from searching and having these conversations with people. 

The right person will present themselves at just the right moment for you - be patient and wait for that moment.

For Business People Only

Accountability in business can be a fluid and touchy subject, most normally in medium and larger corporations.

First, because you are typically held accountable for performance through your first level leadership person or team.

Second, performance evaluations are particularly thorny, especially with the advent of the Human Resources focus upon 360 evaluations (e.g. team feedback).

It has been our experience that these processes are generally semi-annual or worse - annual: either being somewhat ineffective and cumbersome (i.e. process layered upon process). It is possible to be completely absent of any empirical evidence - ugh!!!

Put this experiential bias aside for a moment to consider the ideas you've already read about above. Start-ups and small business are unique in a way that little if any actual formalization is really present. Similar to the Capability Maturity Model, most of these businesses would fall at the level one in this subject area: Initial (chaotic, ad hoc, individual heroics) - the starting point for use of a new process.

These are both very different accountability opportunities. From this stand point, we suggest a custom approach that takes in account the in-place informal or formal structure. We can help you design a simple easy-to-use process to accommodate both the internal and external elements. Contact us to discuss how we might approach this with you.

BEST REGARDS and Thanks for considering us.

We look forward to getting your feedback, and please Contact Us with what you experienced from our services and products.