5 Steps to a Productive Accountability Check-in

Whether you have chosen an old friend to hold you accountable, or hired a coach you barely know, developing honest and trusting communication with your partner is the key for productive accountability check in sessions.
Whether you have chosen an old friend to hold you accountable, or hired a coach you barely know, developing honest and trusting communication with your partner is the key for productive accountability check in sessions.

Whether you have chosen an old friend to hold you accountable, or hired a coach you barely know, developing honest and trusting communication with your partner is the key for productive accountability check in sessions.

This is the third post in the Iron-Clad Accountability series, where we are exploring why we need a ministry accountability partner, how to find one, how to make our accountability check-in productive and what to do when accountability gets rough.  Find the other posts in the series here.

As we’ve already learned, accountability relationships can take many forms …. two-way vs. one-way, peer vs. mentor. But the heart of the accountability relationship is, well …, the relationship.  Whether you’ve chosen an old friend to hold you accountable, or hired a coach you barely know, developing honest and trusting communication with your partner is the key for productive accountability check-in sessions.

I’ve found these steps to be helpful with my coaching clients.  You can adapt them to fit the conditions of your own accountability relationships.

Agree to a set time and frequency

One benefit of accountability is establishing some structure in your planning and work processes.  So it’s important that you establish a set time and frequency to meet with your accountability partner.  Just “letting if float” to whenever it is convenient opens the door to procrastination when things are tough.

Make your check-in a priority and make it stick.

Prepare in advance for your accountability check-in

Before your check-in, think through the topics you want to discuss.  This habit of self-reflection and evaluation will help you separate the things you can handle on your own from the ones you need to talk through with your accountability partner.

Agree on the structure of the check-in

This is especially important if you have a two-way relationship where you are providing accountability for each other.  Head off conflict by agreeing how much time will be spent focusing on each person.

Depending on how often and how long you meet, consider alternating meetings where one person gives a brief update then you focus on the other for the rest of the meeting.  A deeper dive every other week may be more valuable than just covering the surface every week.

Take notes and make commitments

Accountability check-in sessions can be a healthy place to vent about your frustrations, but get the venting out of your system and ask the important question: What are you going to do about it?  We won’t make progress until we quit venting and start changing.

Accountability separates the wishers in life from the action-takers that care enough about their future to account for their daily actions. –John Di Lemme

Keeping notes of the topics discussed will keep the conversation from wandering too far off topic.  Start by reviewing actions from the last session.  Then have an open discussion about how things are going.  These questions may trigger some thoughts for you and your accountability partner:

  • How has God blessed you this week?
  • What were your obstacles?
  • What new opportunities have presented themselves?
  • What new struggles have arisen?
  • Did you accomplish what you planned to?
  • What resources do you need to be successful?
  • What have we not discussed that we should?

Before the end of the session, agree on actionable next steps and set a date for your next session.

Make it personal

Even if you have hired a business or ministry coach as your accountability partner, your sessions will be more productive if you are getting to know each other personally.  Accountability is not about finding fault or pointing out all the places you’ve fallen short.  It’s about joining hands and working together towards your calling and goals.

 

RESOURCES

Download this FREE Accountability Check-in Worksheet to take notes during your sessions.

 

ACCOUNTABILITY PACKAGE

So you know what you need to do, you just need someone to hold you accountable to getting it done, to cheer you on while you reach your goals, and keep you from quitting on the hard days.

$200 Monthly Package includes:

  • 45-minute coaching session to talk about your goals and what you need to get done
  • Four weekly personal emails to check-in on your progress
  • Save 16% by booking three months at a time!

Complete the form on my contact page and let’s chat about working together!

8 thoughts on “5 Steps to a Productive Accountability Check-in”

  1. Christa, this looks like a good series. I have had accountability partners at different times in my life for various reasons. You’re right. When I know I will be talking with someone about a given area, say writing, I am more productive when I know I’m going to have to talk about what I have (or haven’t) gotten done. I have had a couple accountability partners who have prayed for me and I for them. That has been gratifying.

    Reply
  2. Dear Christa, I’ve always shrunk from the notion of accountability partners, probably due to too years in hostile work environments. Your plan looks so doable. The final paragraph that clarifies what accountability is and isn’t begins to make it more inviting. Thank you for planting a seed.

    Reply

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