How often do you follow through with your plans? Or how many things are on your to-do list at home that you never seem to get around to? While creating plans, setting targets, or making goals is an important first step toward meaningful change, they can easily stack up and never get checked off or implemented.

To prevent this less-than-ideal behavior from occurring, and it is especially bad if you are running a business, we highly suggest you have an accountability partner that keeps you on track. When you set a target, you need someone else who holds you to your word, and checks in, to see how much effort you have put toward your target.

Let’s continue thinking about this topic in the context of being a business owner. When we say partner, we really do mean one person, go to this individual, be it a manager, director, or even an employee, and ask them to monitor your progress on a target you set. You will find that you are much more likely to implement something if someone else is reminding you to constantly do it. The more serious the target, the more influence the accountability partner should have over you.

Finally, set a due date and inform the accountability partner of it, this way you have two points of pressure that are keeping you on track.

Below you will find a simple chart that helps you track your targets and accountability partners once you start to set your targets.