New Equation of “Personalized” Accountability
What makes good entrepreneurs great is accountability.
Accountability to their business, to their teams, to their vendors, to their families and to themselves. Accountable entrepreneurs are leaders. They don’t get in the habit of making excuses.
And above all, they have a burning desire and willingness to accept responsibilities with a “beginner’s mind” and do whatever it takes to get the job done.
Accountable entrepreneurs assume nothing and question everything. They’re fearless “truth-seekers” and chase advice from practically everyone around them – their colleagues, their team members, their customers and most importantly, their personal “Accountability Partners.”
Does this sound like someone you know so far?
If it does, then at this moment you have an opportunity of a lifetime to seek out one Accountability Partner or “AP” who’s life you can change and who will change your life, by simply meeting once a week, 52 weeks a year.
Accountability Partnerships (APs) are the new equation in this fast-paced era of interdependent entrepreneurship we’re entering. Similar to a business mentor, coach or a goal-setting buddy, an AP is a trusted advisor with whom you trade phone calls with at once a week.
Accountability Dyads: If you’re just starting out, I recommend you seek out only one Accountability Partner and meet with him or her for 30 minutes each week. This is called the AP Dyad.
(Make sure the focus is on a specific topic or lesson plan like a virtual training or “How To” course that you’re both involved with together).
Start 5 minutes after the hour (so you don’t bump-in to other appointments) and show-up promptly for each other according to Time.gov or any other universal time system available online.
For 15 minutes YOU reach out for advice and the other 15 minutes your AP reaches out to for advice. Accountability Dyads are different than Master Mind meetings because they focus on ONE theme for 52 weeks or more.
You must be a great “receiver” and a great “giver” and I favor focusing on how to coach each other on busting through barriers versus brainstorming for new ideas.
For example, I brought in the AP concept to my Teleseminar Secrets course last year and the results were nothing short of astounding.
The students who had APs felt more a lot connected to my lesson plans (and to me), especially during days in-between the live weekly training nights.
This had a massive impact on the bottom line for me and my students. I got fewer “refund requests” and my students created accelerated learning environments that were self-managed. It was a huge Win-Win!
Paul Colligan and I are adding the AP concept to this year’s Podcast Secrets training and I plan to add the AP advantage to every training series I conduct as long as I’m breathing :-)
Accountability Huddles: As you evolve and become a more experienced AP, you can add two new people to the equation and lengthen the meeting times to 90 minutes.
The 90-minute time frame allows all four APs have adequate “reach out” times to the other three huddle members and each call is moderated by a different AP “round-robin” style.
Maximized Results: If what you’ve read so far interests you enough to take the next step, then I encourage you to seek out an AP who will challenge, motivate, mentor, encourage and inspire you to achieve maximum results.
Consistency is what’s most critical. Make the meeting dates at the same time on the same day of the week.
For instance, my favorite Accountability Huddle happens weekly every Wednesday at 5am Pacific Time. Two of my APs live in the Central Time Zone (7am Central) and the fourth AP lives in the Eastern Time Zone (8am Eastern).
All four of us have a “whatever it takes” attitude to show up. Our policy is simple: 3 strikes (missed meeting) and you’re out! No excuses, regardless of how many personal commitments we have. Period.
Our AP Huddle goal is to continue meeting consistently each week for the next 30 years. And our wives are beginning to have their own AP Huddle as well.
The AP Advantages: Knowing that you will have to report your successes or failure at a pre-determined date each week (with someone you trust) provides lasting benefits to even the most skillful procrastinators :-)
Here are a few benefits and advantages of starting your own Accountability Dyad or Huddle:
* Chunking projects into smaller, more measurable tasks
* Prioritizing and prioritizing actionable goal deadlines
* Ensuring follow-up on continuing education lesson plans
* Emotional support when personal/professional roles clash
* Coaching to conquer common roadblocks and procrastination
Who To Look For: During your search for an AP, keep in mind that the right person should be a entrepreneur or business owner taking the same training series, reading the same book or engaged in the same “How To” course.
He or she must be someone who will challenge, engage and evoke a sense of accomplishment in you. Initiative, reliability and speed are three personality traits that will be useful to you.
And remember to set up clear, objective guidelines or “rules-of-the-game” before you have your first Accountability Dyad or Huddle session.
I’ve borrowed my own AP criteria from Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO). YPO’s core mission is to develop “Better Leaders Through Education and Idea Exchange. ”
With such a great mission like that, I’ve decided to adopt their 14 Guidelines or Declarations which YPO members consistently hold each other accountable:
- “I will respect confidentiality”
- “I will be present in the moment”
- “I will stay around when times get tough”
- “I will be on time and stay until the end”
- “I will make every meeting”
- “I will speak my truth”
- “I will ask for what I want”
- “I will take care of myself”
- “I am willing to make mistakes”
- “I am willing to laugh at myself”
- “I will own my feelings”
- “I will own my judgments”
- “I will not blame, shame or fix others”
- “I will ask permission before offering feedback or advice—another option: NO ADVICE”
Note: I’m not a YPO member, but I’m forever in their debt for creating the guidelines you see above. It’s yet another testament to my commitment to “never invent and always improve.”
What To Do Now: If you’ve ever had a positive experience with an Accountability Partner, please share it in the Reply section of this post. Your courtesy will be much appreciated.
Tags: accountability partner, alex mandossian, Info Marketing, master mind, Young Presidents Organization, YPO
I hope this post inspired you to reach out and seek an Accountability Partner who will be the right fit for you.
Thanks for reading.
~ Alex
Hello Alex
thanks for the inspiration consistentence is something l struggle with
and am trying to work out
beatrice
Thank you for introducing me to the word “dyad”. So perfect. I have an accountability group that I’m a member of, but there are more than two of us there. I think I’ll seek out one person for my AP Dyad as well.
Great topic. Sometimes, time gets away from solopreneurs who have no staff to delegate tasks to yet the things still need to get done. Great way to stay on target.
Alex,
This method of accountability will have huge impact on any business. As you described, the master mind is different than the accountability partner. My accountability partner and I haven’t always gone by the declarations you supplied in this post, however she has held me to responsibilities, and I her, that we’ve previously committed to. If we fell on the follow-through we have been there to encourage and pick each other up and engage in forward momentum again. If not for this accountability, we both would have been stagnant.
Our master mind group is more brainstorming and I feel both are a must to keep moving forward. Excellent reminder and info…will gladly tweet about it. Abundant Blessings.
Kellie
http://www.kelliefrazier.com
Once again Alex, I’m in complete agreement. There’s nothing quite like building in some strong accountability for keeping me on task with the ongoing challenges of the moment. One of my mastermind groups–of several years running currently–goes through ‘accountability huddle’ phases regularly, & when we do we’re all intermittently ‘jumpstarted’ to the next level. I meet with an accountability partner twice weekly. Most recently I’ve added 10 min. (5/5) (very) early morning phone meetings with a new accountability partner! We haven’t got the ‘glitches’ worked out yet but have been ‘trying’ for the past month. At it’s best, having a good accountability partner adds a layer of vitality and comraderie as bonus! I encourage people to keep trying if they don’t get it right on the first (or few) passes.
I am in an accountability huddle. The people in the huddle are my lifeline. I know I can bring anything to the group and get great advice. In return I am honored to listen and offer my opinion when requested.
What makes this work is that each person in the huddle adheres to the 14 Guidelines ‘unconsciously’. This is the first time I’ve seen these guidelines but in thinking about the people in my huddle, we ALL follow the Guidelines.
Thanks, Alex, for bringing this to light. It does work and I hope everyone finds a partner and then huddle. They are pricele$$!
Cathy Perkins
http://TheWordPressWizard.com
Alex…love the idea of accountability and thanks for allowing us to bring on one partner for FREE on the Podcasts Secrets…this is good and critical
Alex -
This is soooo inspiring!!
Thank you.
I am going through my mind seeking for the person (s) that fit this criteria for me.
Not a friend necessarily, someone who has similar goals (?), that I trust and would love to mentored by.
hmmmm. I will have to keep at it.
I know you are right!
I have had accountability partners in fitness and at those times I have pushed myself the farthest.
I will work on finding my AP. I am ready to give this level of commitment to myself and my business.
Thank you for this!
sloan
Great post Alex! I just got off another conversation on leadership on another social site and your timing was perfect. You hit the points really well. Thank you.
I just got back from a personal development conference in Acapulco where we spent a day discussing this very topic of “Accountability”. Bob Davies was our guest speaker.
We are accountable to ourselves for our actions. Our actions, more importantly, our decisions have brought us to where we are now in our lives.
Goal setting is empty talk without accountability. This adds integrity to the equation.
Henry Ford said, “You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.”
I have fallen prey to empty promises with all good intentions only to not follow through. After the meeting in Acapulco last month and using accountability partners, I can already see a difference. Most of us need both a carrot and a stick sometimes to achieve our vision of success.
This is a terrific tool. Thanks for the setting the groundwork with the Declarations. Do you recommend more than two? Always moving forward, I am committed to be seeing all people who have lost their dreams instead experience self-expression with elegance and joy, more today than yesterday. Accountability partner, where are you?
how true, true, true!
I have been in several masterminds and accountability partners.
Having to vocalize your thoughts/problems and have someone check in on you really brings it home.
No BS ing the magic mirror!
best wishes,
Mark Zakowski MD
author, Safe BAby System
Alex,
I really enjoyed this article. Accountability is definitely a key ingredient in entrepreneurial success. I like the idea of starting of with just two people as opposed to jumping right into a group of many.
It’s like having a ‘loving mirror/safe haven’ that Noah talks about in The Secret Code of Success. Great concept!
All the best
Hi Alex,
Like you say invent nothing improve everything.. I love the intent of mastermind and of accountability partners. I am currently in a new state, physically and mentally, and a new city, repurposing my 35 year expertise, doing it alone, under the circumstances.. This great timing; I’ll seek a new AP in my own coaching and on Twitter as I re-engage with a new audience.
Veronica, The Feng Shui Queen
Alex, you hit the nail on the head with this. I preach Accountability every week with my university students. Believe it or not the average age is 35 in my classes. Accountability teaches one to be respectful of others time, not to mention being responsible.
Your The Man!!!
One statement in your post brought clarity in my mind, “focusing on how to coach each other on busting through barriers versus brainstorming for new ideas.” Busting through barriers will definitely help exponentially build on my current success. Hopefully I can similarly affect my accountability partner’s success.
Thank you Alex!
Terry Allison
http://www.YourTeleSeminarManager.com
Alex,
I’m going to wholeheartedly 100% disagree with you.
And understand that I say this with the utmost respect, and also realize that I am only bringing up this perspective because I am truly in between the fence on this concept, and know that I can further my growth as well as others by bringing up this other, very valid perspective.
Several months ago I was discussing the idea of having an accountability partner with my very dearest mentor, and our mutual friend and colleague Scott deMoulin. I told him how for many months a good friend of mine and I were participating in accountability partnership, and that it was GREAT … but that somehow the way we were doing it made it become a chore. We found ourselves a little stuck, and unsure of how to continue.
When I brought up the accountability partner concept to Scott, instead of giving me advice on how to improve our AP sessions, he said “Why don’t you trust yourself to be accountable?”
During our conversation he made the point that when we’re creating this thing called an accountability partner, we are subconsciously telling ourselves that we don’t have the TRUST within ourselves to do things on our own.
I debated about this a lot. My conclusion was that’s fine, because most of us DON’T trust ourselves to get things done on our own. And so I felt that for the time being, the accountability partnership I had with my friend was great, and in a way sort of built a muscle … And furthermore, would be a great thing for others who were new to ‘being productive,’ and need the beginners help…
But now I do feel that getting back into a partnership would be doing exactly what I just mentioned, ‘telling my subconscious mind that I don’t trust myself to be productive and create extraordinary results myself.’
Now I am stuck in the middle. On one hand I feel like having an accountability partner could be of great assistance and further my growth. On the other hand I also believe it could hinder it in a way.
So I ask you then Alex: where’s the middle ground? How are we to continue having an accountability partnership but not give up the power within us to develop the inner strength of dedication, commitment, persistence, and follow through?
Looking within for Answers
This past weekend while staffing the Tony Robbins event, Scott’s wife Dallyce gave me a big talk about beginning to look inward more for the answers I seek, since she felt that I had a lot of them inside me. So before passing the reigns to you for answering this question, let’s see what’s within…
Finding the Balance between having an Accountability Partner & Trusting Yourself
For beginners, get yourself a flippin’ accountability partner! No joke. If you’ve ever had trouble getting things done on your own at any point in life and staying motivated to accomplish the daily tasks that will bring you closer to your goal, than I recommend getting an accountability partner.
DO IT WITH CAUTION THOUGH: As you have your e-mails, calls, or masterminds, realize that the accountability partner should not be in place of strengthening and developing your own internal passion, fire and motivation! Like Zig Ziglar says, motivation is like bathing…you have to do it everyday. You have to be taking care of yourself in a myriad of different ways from your health and fitness, to your inner game mentality through personal growth, to maintaining fulfilling relationships, to connecting with your spirituality. And those are just 4 of a few pillars to enable you to stay motivated.
Heck, the accountability partnership may be exactly what you need for maintaining the fulfilling relationship portion.
As you spend time with your accountability partner, FOCUS on building the trust within yourself!
Don’t come to the accountability sessions from a place of ‘need,’ because doing so will only strengthen that need and ultimately hinder your growth. If instead you’re coming from a place where you are full within yourself, but simply enjoying the benefit of having another energy source to feed from, great! Do that.
The key here is building the trust within yourself and knowing that you are doing this partnership not to fulfill a ‘need,’.
Also, as I was writing this Eric Edmeades just called. I told him I was wholeheartedly disagreeing with you Alex to see what knowledge could arise from this…He also brought up the point of ‘promise.’ 20 years ago he realized that promise is so key to a life of integrity, and made the commitment to never break one. In the last 20 years he says he’s only broken about two, and that’s simply because they were minor ones that were forgotten.
So in addition to trust, there is creating the promise to yourself of seeing things through to the end.
Friends, if you can go into your accountability partnerships with inner trust, inner promise, and the commitment to grow internally as well as contribute to your partner…Than by all means, get an accountability partner! JUST BE SURE you are coming from a place with out need, but with gratitude, appreciation, and love!
Alex: I think I answered my question, and in the end, finding myself not ‘wholeheartedly’ disagreeing :-D. I’d love to hear what your thoughts are.
–Sean Patrick Simpson
**The Mindset Apprentice DOT Com**
Twitter @vpsean
p.s. Alex you mentioned in your e-mail to be sure a link is put in the comments. I’ve found that on some blogs, when you put the same link in your signature, that you put in the place the comment form requests a website name, that there is a high chance of going into spam. Have you found this? I would suggest checking your comments SPAM box. It was mentioned to me by other bloggers.
I’ve also found it’s a risky business putting your link on others blogs, as some people do not like it at all. Where’s the fine line?
Accountability is certainly important. I recommend two guidelines when it comes to working with an accountability partner:
First, it’s key that neither person develop a “policeman” mentality. Playing bad cop to your partner is the fastest way I know to ruin a partnership.
Second, it’s helpful to work with an accountability partner who is a little more advanced than you. Someone once told me that the best way to learn the game of chess is to play people who are better than you. Accountability isn’t a competition, but somehow, it’s a little easier to honor the system when you trust, admire and somehow look up to your partner. Nice job, Alex!
Michael Angelo Caruso, http://www.EdisonHouse.com
I’m researching entrepreneurship in search of ways to uplevel our corporate staff. People are on the bus, believe in what we do and are working hard. “Playing Smarter” is our driving phrase during these economic times. In advancing us toward greater levels of “playing smart” I’m gathering ideas. Your insights about accountability are refreshing. It’s time to invite my team to another level of accountability to one another and our customers.
Thanks!
Mark
Way to get us going before the weekend!
Accountability is crucial to our success. As always keep kicking butt!
Sean,
I don’t want to second guess about Scott’s response, but if you asked me the same question, I would have withheld the “to be accountable?” part and just asked: “Why don’t you trust yourself?”
Once of the things I’m certain of is that AP relationships accelerate growth as long as you have the right match.
I’d really benefit to have Nelson Mandela or Bill Clinton or Warren Buffett or even Oprah Winfrey as APs, yet my sense is that they’d give me a similar response that Scott gave you :-)
Find someone with equal experience and similar age. If you reach too high (no matter how close the friendship), then it becomes more like a Mentor-Mentee relationship not AP-AP.
You’ll get high value “by-products” ignited by any AP relationship. Let’s face it, if it weren’t invited to find an AP in my TSS course, you and I wouldn’t have met. In fact, you probably wouldn’t have been in a position to write your reply (above).
Accountability is blessing.
Everyone deserves an AP who is “ruthlessly compassionate” with them from time to time. APs are objective, truth-seeking agents that accelerate growth of others. If that’s not your experience, find a new AP … but wait until you “trust yourself” first. Deal?
Here are a few APs who accelerate my own growth. I live with three at home: Aimee, Gabriel and Breanna. I have one in Abby, my amazing General Manager for Heritage House Media. And I have three APs I meet with each week early Wednesday mornings at the crack of dawn.
An AP is not a confidante or a best friend or a coach, mentor, therapist or even JV or Master Mind partner. An AP is a “partners” who plays on an equal playing field and paradoxically assists you grow by having similar skill and talent sets.
In a word, an AP is your “mirror.”
Again, it’s very difficult for you to be an AP with anyone unless you first trust yourself. My sense in reading your 1,006-word reply is you’re second guess yourself. Just re-read the first few paragraphs and the final few paragraphs of your post to see what I mean.
My experience of your reply (above) isn’t as much a comment to my post, as it is a public declaration and self-assessment to answer the most critical question you’re currently facing: “How can I trust myself?”
If this is true for you, then re-read your post and see what comes up for you ;-)
As for me, the 2 most important reasons I have “APs” in my life are self-serving and benevolent.
AP relationships are self-serving because I get the opportunity to master what I teach/advise my APs. And it’s benevolent because I get create value for my APs, often with ruthless compassion.
To answer your “PS” question … blog platforms are different. The one you see here is WordPress. You add your URL shameless without worrying about email or spam.
Here’s the way I do it when I end my comments on other blogs:
————————
Respectfully submitted,
Alex Mandossian, Founder
http://www.AskAlexToday.com
————————-
Best of luck on your journey, Sean. You’re leading a race without a finish line.
Hey Alex
One part of me feels nice initiative another part of me bristles at having to rely on a partner to make sure you keep to your commitments.
I say to the people I coach I am not going to check in with you to see if you have done what you said. I’m going to assume that your word is good. If your word isn’t good then don’t make the commitment. (Setting up a check in to make sure that someone has actually completed something is making the assumption at the start of the assignment that their word isn’t good and they won’t keep their commitments – not off to a good start). This messes with people’s psychology right from the get go.
Having said, that I love checking in with questions, struggles, clarity seeking, success reporting (love people to brag!), advice giving etc. So I’d prefer it to be called Learning, Growing and Milestones Meetings.
It’s all about deciding if you are person who lives above or below the line – see an article here: http://www.align-lead-inspire.com/members/109.cfm for more about this concept.
If you know you tend to be a below the line person then sure have an accountability partner. But your more important work is to get yourself above the line. Once there you’ll no longer need an accountability partner. You’ll want a partner who helps you to learn, grow and fine-tune what you are already doing.
Hope this helps
Love n laughter
Shelley
twitter: breakthrumentor
Hi Alex,
Accountability is definitely important…. I have been taking your courses for a couple of years now and I think the “Lifetime Alumni” is great…. It gives the opportunity for those who don’t get it the first year, to actually get it the second year…. I will be the first to admit it…. I didn’t get it last year, but this year, I did and it’s all to the “Lifetime Alumni.” I know that doesn’t have anything to do with the accountability part, but I had to reveal that to you and the reader’s for I feel that it is very important they know what their financial commitments earn them….
For the accountability partner…. Yes, definitely important…. It’s has it’s drawbacks though…. I guess what I am trying to say is that you can find someone that you think will work as hard as you and then find that they are a knock off…. They go nowhere and go nowhere fast…. They roll their eye’s, spread negativity, and make you not want to look at them and listen to them for fear they will bring you down to their level…. You then find that it was the worst decision you could have made and took action on…. So really, what do you do???? It’s a 50/50 risk factor in my opinion and you just have to hope you find the one that wants to be a big fish in the water too….
I am glad to hear about the accountability partner in Podcast Secrets…. That gives me time to look with hope of finding a worthy and a go getter….
If you ever hear of someone within the Teleseminar Secrets or Podcast Secrets or outside to either who is looking for a good AP and would be a good AP, send them my way….
The perfect AP would be “YOU….”
Great post Alex….
Philip J. Mutrie
http://www.PhilMutrie.com
http://www.52OnlineBusinessTips.com
Ha! Thanks Alex, that was a great reply!
I can see how I came across as not trusting myself. I would say at times I may be a little on the fence, but most of the time I do trust myself. In terms of this series of replies: when I’m not sure about the answer to something I’ll often bring about the ‘opposing view,’ which I hear in my head, but listen to with non-attachment.
At the beginning of my reply I had not looked for the answers inward yet. Instead I voiced the opinion that my ego, which again I was not attached to, wanted to say.
Having you bring up the concept of AP in this blog post brought about my inner fire to come to a solid answer on the concept, and I knew that would come about by a. Acknowledging the opposing view. b. asking what your thoughts on it, and c. asking within for the answer too!
Ultimately I went from expressing the views of the ego in the beginning, to concluding with an answer that contradicted the ego, and instead supported the concept of AP.
Finally, seeing your response gave even more perspective to the direction I was concluding!
And you know what? I am SOOO GRATEFUL for this dialogue! That was fun! I got a lot out of it and I hope the rest of the readers did too!
Thanks Alex! Looking forward to our paths crossing again! :-D
–Sean Patrick Simpson
**http://www.TheMindsetApprentice.com**
http://www.twitter.com/vpsean
Hi Alex
i love this one. accountability is known to be
a big ingredient of success but i didn’t know
the AP way. i’m sure it’s not needed only by
new entrepreneurs.
thanks for sharing
Alex,
Excellent post! I have been blessed with extraordinary accountability partners over the years so was knocked off my feet when one came along to by-pass them all. Four years ago a new partner came into my life and became a solid accountability partner in an unexpected way. This partner is my grandson, who very knowingly began to cheer me on when I was down, show me I was strong when I felt weak, and told me to rest when I was tired. I have become that accountability partner that “I” was looking for!
I now have an accountability partner that makes sure I always remember the basics of life. In return, I make sure he never forgets.
It’s a great fit and makes me grin from ear to ear.
Abundant Blessings,
Mega
Alex,
A very interesting concept.
Accountability is important in all aspects of life, and having someone else to edify your accountability is very powerful.
The 14 Guidelines or Declarations you’ve outlined are a good reminder of how to be a great accountability partner. While it is a great thing to look for a partner to help ourselves with accountability, it is equally or even more important to look to ourselves to become a great accountability partner for others.
Thank you Alex.
–Pat & Lorna Shanks
http://PatAndLorna.com http://TheCoolestCouple.com
Thanks for the info Alex. You are so inspiring and the accountability post is fantastic. Actually just want to say thank you for all of your great work and sharing. I learn so much from you and will continue to I’m sure!
Have an awesome Easter with your family!
Thanks Alex for the reminder..I am meeting with a group of
entrepreneurs today and I will definitely mention this to them. I know it
will allows us to get the results we want. Thanks again for the
reminder. May You continue to be blessed as you are a blessing to
others.
peace and blessings,
Jacques
http://www.godspeedmarketing.com
Alex,
Great post, and 101% right on!
One important item you did not cover, and I am interested in your (and everybody else’s) opinion on: During the search for an AP, most likely each of us may experience “false starts.” Meaning: an attempt to start an AP Dyad with someone who may turn out not to be either the right person for you, or at the right time.
Questions are:
(a) How do you find out? What are the tell-tale signs?
(b) How long must you give the Dyad “the chance” to work out? (I am not looking necessarily for a specific duration, but more like the criteria for “time’s up!”)
Alex? Anyone?
Warm regards,
Sergiu Simmel
http://www.TheMindmappingGuy.com/CaseStudy/BeTheMedia
Nice reminder and love working from one to more…. Will put these tips into action right now!!!!
http://www.IamnotaMess.com
Thanks Alex,
As Usual, you got me to thinking…..
I’m crafting a letter, an audio note and a video apology to my AP’s ( Damon my TSS AP..Let’s do this, Bro!) [My DYI AP's Cheryl and Nkechi~ I love you,ladies] {Al P. My Naval $ commander-in-chief } and .
I apologize for not communicating with All of you weekly, except for team calls.
I will take AL’s advice from over a year ago and use these 14 guidlines from the YPO (LOL! and from the U.S. Naval Acadamy!) to be a better Power Team Leader through “Education and Idea Exchange”
Let’s use my ITW bridge line.
“Huddle Up!!!!”
*********************************
Your Travel Buddy, Greg Snead of Detroit
http:/www.AskAboutYTB.com
Nice article!
My AP and I meet each morning Monday – Thursday at 6:45am for about 30 – 45 min. depending on the need. We start with a celebration, then a few minutes of silent meditation, share goals in 4 areas for the day, and alternate in clearing each other.
This relationship has been more useful for keeping me motivated and on track than all the seminars I’ve been to combined.
DeBorah,
Dyads work great at experiential workshops as well. Pairing off with someone allows your partner to learn from your experience and you to learn from listening you describe your experience.
Thanks for commenting,
~ Alex
Tomas,
Great idea to meet each morning. My GM and I meet each morning at 6:55am Pacific for about 10 minutes to conduct a daily “preview.”
The frequency and consistency of the daily meeting keeps activities from slipping through the cracks and keeps me connected to my other Team members.
I’m going to recommend you read my “Gravatar” post I made mid-March so you can have a picture up with each comment.
Thanks for commenting,
~ Alex
Beatrice,
You’re welcome. The struggle will become less and less if you spend 50 minutes a week looking for the right AP for you.
~ Alex
Cathy,
Thanks for your insight and comment. I appreciate comments/replies that create more value for my posts. Yours did.
~ Alex
Greg,
Let me know what happens with your APs and I bet they appreciate you “owning” your part of not communicating with time. Hopefully, they’ll own their part too ;-)
Thanks for commenting,
~ Alex
Sergiu,
Answers:
1) Make your own criteria. Mine are: I (initiative) R (reliability) and S (speed). A different IRS than the one we’re used to paying to, but it’s easy enough to remember. Second, I make sure that even if they have all three attributes just noted, they’re on an equal “playing field” … they are not too much more or less accomplished in my area of expertise.
The big mistake people make with APs is they seek someone as if they were a “tennis partner” or “mentor” – someone who is much, much more accomplished. That’s not the goal of an AP relationship.
2) I give the relationship a 30 day test drive. Both APs should be well aware that it’s a “test” and can stop after 30 days.
Thanks for commenting and I hope that helps,
~ Alex
Mega,
Thanks for your comment and feel free to advise anyone else who you feel may be struggling with the AP process on the comment section of this post. My sense is that you have it nailed down pretty solid.
Thanks,
~ Alex
Kellie,
Thanks for noticing and sharing with your comment. Without my APs, I’d get half the stuff done that I now get done … and probably would have a few “excuses” as I struggled with the other half.
My APs don’t tolerate excuses or mediocrity.
Again, thanks for commenting,
~ Alex