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Accountability is a critical word in our growing vocabulary about conscious-living, and is often heard from the lips of world leaders when it comes to blaming someone for our declining environment and global economy. When something goes wrong, there should always be someone to blame, right? This is an accepted worldview, yet there’s another perspective.
- What if being more accountable in your life moved you faster toward the life you really want to have?
- What if, as an effective coach, you could also see bigger results for your clients on a regular basis?
One of their greatest barriers to being a more effective coach is to understand the value of coaching accountability. Coaches often fear conflict and making things messy when they bring-up accountability with their clients. But accountability actually creates ownership, which, in the end, creates results. One of the greatest gifts of being a coach is that we are here for our clients in ALL-ways, to support them and celebrate positive outcomes. We are also here to inquire about barriers and blocks that keep them from achieving the goals they desire. We cannot have one without the other, and be an empowering coach. Coaching accountability is an effective way for clients to produce the results they say they want.
Creating Awareness for New Possibilities
Making it all about blaming vs. accountability is the first mistake we make when we talk about accountability. Many people think of accountability as a way to keep score and manage results. True, accountability creates awareness and opens the possibilities for new actions and perhaps beliefs, and even a "New Attitude" as the song goes.
Accountability simply means to have ownership for all results—either working or not working. Most people love to claim positive results and will tell you all the things they did to GET them. But they are reluctant to have that same sense of excitement when looking at the results that they did not want. Simply put, accountability means “I am Able-to-Account for the choices I made, or am making, that lead to the outcomes I have now.” The opportunity is the POWER OF CREATION...not being at effect of circumstances—but being in the driver's seat of their life regarding ownership of the choices they make in ANY given moment.
Why is it so hard for people to look at all their choices and the results as a means to be accountable? I believe that most human beings do not want to feel like they have done something wrong. Imagine how Thomas Edison would have felt if he would have been unwilling to be accountable for all the mistakes that he made on his journey to create the light bulb?
Accountability Is Empowering
Many times I ask clients to say the following when they make mistakes and end up with an outcome they did not anticipate or desire: "I had an opportunity to make a mistake and I took it! So what, now what! What can I learn from this, moving forward?"
The great news about coaching accountability is that it opens a space/possibility for real inquiry for both the coach and the client. There is no right or wrong, there are just the results and together we look for what new learning has been created. What gems can be gleaned from the results? There are no good or bad results—there are just results. Looking from a neutral place, without judgment, allows for a powerful relationship with our results and what choices were made to produce them. It is what we choose to do with them that truly count.
As a coach, this might be a good time to take an inventory on how you address accountability with your clients. How are you working with your clients to create ownership of their results and curiosity? We must always embrace the resourcefulness of our clients and the choices they have. What powerful questions do you ask your clients that will assist them in having a deeper understanding about why they have what they have?
About Barbara Fagan
Barbara Fagan is co-founder of Source Point Training. She has worked as a master coach and facilitator within the U.S. and international businesses community for more than twenty years. Barbara began coaching in 1987 before it was a "known" profession, and co-founded The Coaching Company in San Francisco. She is an excellent coach for individuals and businesses involved in leadership and managing change, which includes working through career transitions, defining strategic business imperatives and communicating with clarity to reach alignment. She is affiliated with the International Coach Federation and the International Association of Coaches. Prior to co-founding Source Point Training, with Lou Dozier, Barbara was President of Resource Realizations and the Director of The Resource Academy, which trained and certified professional coaches.
About Source Point Training
Source Point Training was founded in 2009 by Barbara Fagan and Lou Dozier and is known for developing coaches, facilitators and leader of positive change. It offers a unique educational opportunity that integrates the best of transformational training, inspirational learning and practical application. Source Point Training offer programs in personal and professional development, leadership skill building, relationship coaching and fundamentals of coaching.
Leadership Source
Source Point Training’s next Leadership Source training begins January 13-15, 2012 in San Diego, California. This training begins with a high-impact, two-day weekend where goals are declared and leadership principles are explored. Over the next ten weeks, Leadership Coaches work one-on-one to align with your agenda and goals. Return for a second two-day weekend to review and celebrate, with your team, the profound lessons and changes that have occurred.
http://www.SourcePointTraining.com/leadership-training/leadership-source
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