How to run an accountability group

Accountability groups are a form of peer to peer support that if properly run, can be can be powerful tool for getting support and holding you accountable for achieving your goals. Anyone can set up and run an accountability group but like most things, they work best when you follow some simple guidelines.

  1. Identify 4 or 5 women that you admire and respect who you think might be interested in forming a group. They do not need to be close friends and it’s probably even better if they’re not. This isn’t a social gathering.
  2. Everyone agrees a shared method of communication. Something like Whatsapp or Telegram, the main thing is that everyone is happy with the choice.
  3. Decide on a regular time for meet ups and try to stick to it. Quick weekly check ins via your agreed communication channel are great with a once a month Zoom call for longer catch ups.
  4. Appoint a time keeper. Consistently going over time is one of the biggest reasons why accountability groups fail. If it takes too much time and becomes unfocused it will fast drop down everyone’s list of priorities.
  5. For the longer monthly check ins, agree how much time each person gets to speak, and then how long the group feeds back for. 10 minutes per person to speak and 2 minutes feedback from each of the other members is a good place to start and you can adjust as you need to. Again, the most important thing is sticking to what you agree as a group.
  6. Try to keep it professional and avoid going into personal dramas. This is about helping you make progress against your goals.

 

Aim to stick with the process for at least 3 months and regularly review as a group how it’s working for everyone.