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Marketing and promoting yourself is just a part of everyday business actions. You need to go out there and sell yourself; you need to convince employers, clients, and customers why they should hire you or buy your products. This journey can be exhausting though, especially if you’re doing it alone. You need someone to hold your hand, to comfort you when things aren’t going well, and to tell you that, “it’s okay, there’s always another opportunity out there.” You need that kind of support, right? Or maybe what you need is a good kick on the behind. Kind words may be good for your ego, but it’s not exactly the thing that’s going to motivate you toward success. What you need is a dose of tough love, and one of the things that can give you that is an accountability group. But what exactly are accountability groups? These groups are people who will support you in your efforts – this may be in job hunting, selling, marketing your personal brand, letting go of your fears, and so on. But they’re not going to hold your hand – they’re going to support you emotionally and intellectually to help you achieve success in your plans. Sadly, not all accountability groups are successful. There are groups that have been poorly conceived, with members who aren’t able to motivate each other enough. But there are also those who truly have been able to deliver the best of tough love, who have been able to support each other and rise to success. So what makes a good accountability group? Here are some things you should look out for: 1. True accountability A good accountability group will not pat you on the back if you decided not to pursue something that you committed to do. No, they will hold you accountable for your actions and they may even make you feel ashamed for not following through. True accountability means there shouldn’t be any excuse. When you commit to something, you do it. A good accountability group will hold you to that commitment and will not tolerate flakiness. 2. Honesty A good accountability group should be honest to its members – even brutally honest when needed. If your resume is bad, for example, they’re going to tell it to you straight. If you need help in the grooming department, they’re not going to hesitate to tell you about it. This is why close friends and family don’t make good accountability partners or team members. These people usually don’t want to hurt your ego, so you end up being coddled. Brutal honesty is usually better when it comes to personal branding so that you can find out what you really need to work on. 3. Knowledge and experience A good accountability group should include members who are knowledgeable and experienced. They should be an excellent source of information, be able to point out what you’re doing wrong, and stir you in the right direction when you need it. Think about it – an intern doesn’t mentor a fellow intern; it should be the consultant who mentors the intern. 4. A leader There should be someone who takes the leadership during your meetings or sessions. This helps in ensuring that the flow of discussion goes smoothly and that there is someone who can take charge and be the rock of the group. The leader should be the go-to person for any questions that may arise, and should ensure that everyone takes part and is accountable for their actions. 5. A good number of people in the group If there are too many people in the group, then there could be someone who isn’t given enough attention. On the other hand, if there are too few people in the group, there may not be enough discussion and opinion to go around. So it’s a good idea to have just the right number of people in your accountability group – maybe 5 to 10 members. This is just enough to get the conversation going and ensure that everyone gets their share on the floor. Accountability groups are a good idea, especially if you’re feeling stuck with how to improve your personal brand and don’t know how best to sell yourself. Sometimes, some tough love is all that’s needed to help you focus and get you on the right track. Of course, these groups can have their disadvantages as well since some people may be adversely affected by the success of others in their group. On the other hand, it can also motivate them to do better when they see how others are taking steps to improve themselves. The key is to choose a good accountability group that ensures you the right amount of attention and the right amount of tough love.
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