How to Keep Accountability High

UPDATED: May 22, 2024
PUBLISHED: May 21, 2020
How to Keep High Accountability

When you have a full-time job and you’re starting a side hustle, you want to make sure that you continue to live an accountable life. It’s critical.

First of all, let’s separate two arenas: There’s tactical activities and relational activities. The tactical activities are getting stuff done; it’s our job to get the stuff done. Our job descriptions at work and in our side hustle are a list of responsibilities, not accountabilities.

Accountability is keeping your commitments to people. And those commitments, the most serious, are relational commitments, commitments that bond people. When we keep those commitments, like a commitment to the values; a commitment to you succeed, I succeed; you fail, I fail; a commitment to my word is my bond, then accountability stays high. And when we’re living that kind of life with that sort of focus and purpose, what I find is that most people will keep the tactical commitments, both at work and in their side hustle.

People are counting on you. People rely on you. Making excuses for not getting something done is simply unacceptable. Understand what your commitments are and then keep them.

Remember, we are defined by what we say no to. Sometimes we need to say no in order to not get involved in an activity that will keep us from keeping prior commitments. Some of those commitments could be tactical, some could be relational.

Accountability is keeping your commitments to people, both in your full-time job and in your side hustle. And when you keep your commitments to people, you will be accountable.

Watch next: What to Look for in an Accountability Partner

Leadership Keynote Speaker Sam Silverstein’s mission is to empower people to live accountable lives, transform the way they do business, and to thrive at extraordinary levels. By challenging leaders to shift priorities, cultivate an organizational culture, and inspire both individuals and teams to take ownership in fresh and results-producing ways – he is helping companies dramatically increase productivity, profitability, and growth. Global Gurus recently announced Sam Silverstein as one of the World's Top 10 Organizational Culture Professionals.

Sam is the author of seven books including Non-Negotiable, No More Excuses, Making Accountable Decisions, No Matter What, The Lost Commandments and The Success Model As a former executive and owner, Sam’s manufacturing and distribution companies sold over $100 million in products and services. He successfully sold one of his businesses to a Fortune 500 company. Today, Sam writes, speaks, and consults with organizations around the globe to think differently, work with renewed purpose, and achieve record-breaking results. He works with entrepreneurs, multi-national companies, corporations, and government agencies to drive increased engagement and productivity.

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