I facilitate accountability groups. You’ve likely seen me post about them.  

My accountability groups are a combination of accountability and mastermind. 

I pair the two together because of what I am trying to achieve with the group.   Let me give you a quick idea of how I run my group:  

  • We start with wins. These can be personal or business
  • Next, we check in on the commitment the member made at the last meeting.  
  • The fun part is next as we open the floor to the members for a possible power seat item. This could be anything the member needs advice on, support, or even help with.  
  • Finally, each member makes a new commitment.  

There is always a celebration, laughter, and honest conversation.  

I love my accountability groups. I love watching the members feel like they are not alone and have help and see them achieve.  

 

Is an accountability group right for you?

Maybe. 

If you are a small business, yes, you do.

If you are an intrapreneur, yes, you do.  

Here is why: 

  • You get to share your experience and knowledge with others. Helping others feels good, and giving back feels fantastic. You get this in a group where you can share your expertise with others. 
  • You belong to a community. Being an entrepreneur is lonely. This was one of the hardest things for me as I transitioned from corporate to entrepreneur. An accountability group helps you realize that you are not alone. 
  • You don’t need to know everything. As an entrepreneur, you wear many hats. You sometimes feel you have to be good at everything. With an accountability/mastermind group, you don’t need to be. The other members may have the answer or have already been through that experience, so you don’t have to take the long way.  
  • You are growing your network, and there are opportunities for possible collaboration. You never know whom someone knows and what can come of different connections.  
  • You can’t help but grow. Working with a group of amazing people, you will not be able to help but think bigger and move outside of your comfort zone. You will see things differently, consider things differently and find yourself doing things you never did before (have you seen me on IG stories?). 
  • Fun and celebration. We forget to celebrate. We are so focused on the next things, the next goal, the next job, that we forget to celebrate our wins. In an accountability group, there is a group of people who want to cheer you on and celebrate with you. We also love to share a good laugh.  

Finally, the most significant benefit is accountability.  

Accountability is about people. It’s about taking ownership and communicating your results to others, and owning your success and your mis-takes.  

Just this week, one of our members missed every one of their commitments. They owned it, and they changed priorities and focused their efforts on something else.

It was a change that had long-term benefits. They sacrificed their short-term goals for long-term benefit. I’m good with that; they made a conscious choice. 

Another member missed some of their commitments because they felt they needed to take a step back and get a bigger-picture view of what they wanted. Results were not what they expected, and instead of continuing to move forward blindly, they wanted to step back and do some research and analysis. 

Again, we support them. We will also check in again at the next meeting to ensure they haven’t gotten stuck or are avoiding/procrastinating. If they are, we will help them through it.   

How to find a group for you

I’m not the only one who facilitates accountability or mastermind groups. 

Some are even free. I don’t think they should be free. We are more likely to take something more seriously, to attend and push ourselves where there is a commitment. Money is a commitment.  

However, not all groups are the same. 

Think about what you want, and need, and then look for a group that fits your needs.  

When do they meet, how often, and how long are the meetings? Do they have a minimum commitment? What do they do at the meetings? 

Once you find a group you are interested in, check to see if they have a way for you to try them out. Maybe you can observe a meeting or start with a free trial. 

When I was looking for a taekwondo studio, I looked online for location and meeting times. Then I had to look into the teaching style and fit, which had to be done in person. Luckily, I could attend two sessions for a small fee (which covered my first uniform) before committing.  

It helped me be comfortable with my choice. 

Maybe the group you are looking at will do something similar.  

Then make your commitment! You will be glad you did!

… a friendly alliance with one or more persons who will encourage one to follow through with both plan and purpose.

Napoleon Hill

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