What Is Accountability Coaching? Answering Key Questions and More

What Is an Accountability Coach?

An accountability coach is a type of coach who helps hold their clients accountable in their efforts to achieve self-improvement. Because self-improvement takes many forms, so too does accountability coaching.

At a)plan coaching, our coaches hold their clients accountable in their efforts to achieve a wide variety of goals related to fitness, relationships, business, habit adoption, career transitions, and more.

Coaching and accountability are closely linked. At a)plan, in particular, our consistent coaching approach revolves around setting and pursuing goals. To achieve those goals, our clients benefit from the built-in accountability system of having a coach who consistently checks in on their progress.

Accountability is integral to the coaching experience, but seldom the only aspect. Your coach not only serves as an accountability partner, but also as a thought partner, collaborator, sounding board, motivator, and more. Your coach serves more than one purpose in supporting your goals for growth and success.

At a)plan, we consider accountability coaching to be part of our “whole person coaching” approach. Our approach is grounded in the belief that each human is a whole, complicated system. What affects one aspect of a person’s life affects them all. Therefore, to achieve breakthroughs and transformations, our coaches and clients must consider all aspects of a person’s life.

Understanding the Need for Accountability

One of the most valuable aspects of any coaching engagement centers upon accountability: you must account to someone for your progress or lack thereof. Because change is difficult—whether it be adopting new habits, taking action, or pursuing goals—a coach, or more specifically an accountability coach who provides guidance and encouragement, makes that change easier to accomplish.

We’ve all been there. The motivation strikes to improve something in our lives. Over time, that motivation fades, and with it our drive to make that change happen. As a recurring example, look no further than New Year’s resolutions and the fact that nearly 80% of resolutions are abandoned by February. This testifies to the difficulty we have in creating and sustaining new habits and goals.

Hiring an accountability coach is a great place to start if you’re ready to make a positive, substantive change and create good habits that stick.

Why Is Accountability Coaching So Valuable?

The accountability aspect of coaching is a powerful tool for transformation and breakthroughs, largely because it involves a second person with a vested interest in your success. A coach’s only agenda is your success and fulfillment, so they hold you accountable to taking actionable steps toward achieving your goals.

a)plan coaches work with their clients to set ambitious goals which are then mapped out with action plans and achievable benchmarks. While anyone could do that on their own, having a coach to provide support and insight makes follow-through much more certain. Remember that New Year’s resolution statistic!

Accountability makes things happen. It’s the secret ingredient that inspires determination and results in perseverance. Your a)plan coach will encourage you, point out your progress, give you new sources of motivation, and remind you of the bigger picture—all while holding you accountable for making the necessary changes in your life. 

Coaching sessions provide a consistent cadence—checkpoints during which you review the actions you took and their effectiveness, the actions you’re taking now, and the actions you plan to take next.

The a)plan coaching App for Accountability

In order to bake additional accountability into the coaching experience, we created the a)plan coaching app. Think of this as an accountability coaching app, which takes advantage of the virtual aspect of coaching to give users increased access to their coaches. 

The a)plan app allows for instant communication of your wins, challenges, and progress updates between weekly coaching sessions. Via the a)plan app, a coach might inquire as to a client’s progress midweek or ask how the work is trending related to a near-term goal. This use of technology adds accountability to the coaching experience, which in turn increases the effectiveness of the coaching. As a result, the app empowers clients to reach their goals more quickly.

When to Hire an Accountability Coach

a)plan’s roster of nearly 50 closely vetted coaches includes some of the best accountability coaches in the world. Our clients benefit from working with coaches who have held accountable successful CEOs, startup founders, parents, middle-aged individuals, and nonprofit leaders—all different kinds of changemakers. 

Anyone who is ready to change their life, their company, or their community for the better can benefit from working with an accountability coach. Not only will coaching help you become more effective and productive, it will also teach you a lot about yourself. Your coach will discern your strengths and how they work best to help you become your best self.

Regardless of your goals, there’s no better time to begin with a coach than now. Many of our clients often express regret that they didn’t find a coach sooner: “I wish I discovered coaching earlier” or “I didn’t realize what I was missing.”

Custom-Match with an Accountability Coach

a)plan’s personalized coach matching survey increases your chances to find the perfect coach. To help find the best accountability coaches for you, the survey analyzes your responses to recommend three a)plan coaches whose expertise best aligns with your coaching preferences. 

If you’re serious about coaching, our coach matching survey is proven to give interested users a faster, more precise pathway to finding the right coach. It also gives you the opportunity to schedule a free introductory call with the coach of your choice.

If accountability is that missing piece to creating positive change in your life, take our coach matching survey and invest in the next best version of yourself!