How to Coach for Action and Accountability

“When the student is ready the teacher will appear. When the student is truly ready… The teacher will disappear”  – Lao Tzu

This blog is adapted from Ep. #95 of Making Sense of Work. Part of being an effective leader is helping people identify how to move things toward completion and the actions they could take.

In traditional leadership, we as leaders have held this as a core part of our role – we must hold people accountable for their actions. However, when we hold a coaching approach to leadership, we turn this around.

We work with our colleagues to see how they can hold themselves accountable. To help them feel like they’re in control of their outcome and goals. In this blog, we will be exploring accountability and the role it can play in helping us to achieve things in our lives – particularly in our working lives. 

Jump to content:

• A Community Perspective on Accountability 
• So What Drives Accountability Resistance?
• Reframing Accountability from Source of Dread to Motivation 
• 7 Coaching Frameworks for Driving Accountability 

Before we begin, I have a confession to make. I was a bit resistant to the idea of accountability.

We teach about accountability in our Level 1 ICF coach training programme.

And as a Master certified coach, coaching for accountability and action comes naturally to me.

But it’s funny that this is not a topic close to my heart. As a coach, I know what to ask to bring out the best in others. Perhaps I had forgotten about what it was like to be held accountable and the impacts of it.

So I knew I had to dig deeper towards my perspective on accountability.

By the end of my preparation for the podcast, I became fully convinced of its importance and impact. This journey has transformed my perspective, reinforcing how accountability can be a valuable tool in both our personal lives and careers.

And I hope by the end of this blog or podcast, you’ll feel the same way about the idea of accountability.

A Community Perspective on Accountability

“Does ‘Accountability’ create positive motivation to help move towards action or instil a sense of dread about things you need to do?”

To prepare for this piece, I reached out to my community on LinkedIn and Instagram to gather perspectives on accountability. I openly shared my ambiguous relationship with accountability and wondered if I might be accountability-avoidant.

Of course, I was curious about where others stand with accountability. Through these conversations, inspiration began to emerge! Special thanks to all who took the time to respond.

What I found was striking: 95% of people who responded to the poll viewed accountability as positive and motivating. Only a small percentage associated it with dread.

Clearly, there was room for me to rethink my own relationship with accountability. What about you? If you think accountability is a dread, you’re not alone.

When coaching or in leadership, we often encounter people who feel resistant to accountability.

And as coaches and leaders, it’s important to explore the root of that resistance because within it lies a key insight they may not yet realise about themselves.

Uncovering this can open the door to solutions that address their deeper challenges.

So What Drives Accountability Resistance?

These are just a few reasons why people are resistant to accountability:

1. Fear of failure –  Avoidance due to anxiety about failing and facing disappointment.
2. Emotional responses to change – Fear, discomfort, or uncertainty about new challenges can lead to avoidance.
3. Past negative experiences – Skepticism due to previous unsuccessful coaching or accountability experiences.
4. Lack of trust – Resistance occurs when clients don’t fully trust the coach or the coaching process.
5. Misalignment of goals and interests – When coaching objectives don’t align with personal aspirations, clients disengage.
6. Lack of capability or confidence – They don’t feel confident to finish the task
7. Perceived threats to autonomy – Resistance arises when accountability feels like a loss of personal control.

As I explored my ambivalence towards accountability, I gained a deeper understanding of my resistance. I’ll share one example of my resistance in this blog but you can hear more in my podcast.

One of the reasons I resisted accountability was that it felt patronising. When someone asks, “Would you like me to hold you accountable?” my instinctive reaction is: “Don’t you trust me to do what I said I’d do? I am responsible after all!”

Of course, it’s my problem that is causing my reaction. They are simply trying to help.

This raised an important question: Do we hold people accountable at work because we don’t trust them? Are we assuming they aren’t capable or “adult enough” to do a good job independently?

Jim Dethmer, from The Conscious Leadership Group, discusses how holding people accountable can be ineffective leadership. He distinguishes between doing something to someone versus taking responsibility for ourselves.

When we make clear agreements, we take ownership of what we’re responsible for accomplishing or changing.

This makes external accountability (reinforcements) less necessary. But despite my initial resistance, my community overwhelmingly found accountability helpful. It seems to serve them well.

Perhaps we do need others to help ensure we follow through. And upon reflection on my past experiences, I saw where accountability had served me well:

• Coaches and therapists have helped me stay accountable for my growth.
• Working for managers I respected made me accountable for delivering results.
• Personal trainers acted as accountability buddies for my goals

Clearly, accountability is important. This process of reflection pushed its impact to the top of my agenda. Accountability can help us stay on track, foster a sense of belonging, and strengthen commitment.

Reframing Accountability from Source of Dread to Motivation

So for those who find accountability dreadful, how can we create a positive, motivating approach?

What role does internal accountability play?

And how can external accountability support us without feeling patronising?

1. We can move away from a parent-child dynamic

I realised that my resistance stemmed from seeing accountability as a parent-child exchange: the authority figure (parent) rewards or punishes the individual (child) based on their actions.

I am the parent and I’ll either reward you (carrot) or punish you (stick) if you do or don’t do what you are accountable for.

This dynamic can foster fear rather than motivation. Instead, we can frame accountability as a mutual partnership.

2. We can use a coaching model for accountability

The principle shared by Jim Dethmer earlier is reinforced throughout various coaching models.

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) competencies offer guidance around how we drive accountability in conversions:

• We partner with people to design goals, actions, and accountability measures that integrate and expand new learning.
• We acknowledge and support people’s autonomy in the design of goals, actions, and methods of accountability.

In coaching, we believe the coachee is accountable – not the coach. The coach is there to help the coachee design actions. And I believe we can adopt this approach in our leadership. As leaders, if we help our direct reports to feel ownership and autonomy then this is good for their motivation and sense of accomplishment.

I see people naturally taking responsibility. By doing this we are seeing each other – coach and coachee, leader and team member – as equal partners in finding ways to ensure action happens.

We are in an adult-to-adult conversation. When we work with a coach they help us reframe tasks we dread. They connect our goals to our values, making the work more meaningful. For example, I procrastinate on my accounts, but I value not letting my accountant down. Knowing that external motivator keeps me on track.

3. We can view accountability as a supportive exchange

A healthier approach is one where we agree on our responsibilities and have someone walk alongside us.

When we struggle, our accountability partner, whether a boss, colleague, or coach, helps us identify roadblocks and get back on track.

For example, instead of being told, “I will hold you accountable,” we might ask, “How do you want to approach accountability?” A response could be, “Could we check in weekly so I can share progress and next steps?” This creates a collaborative structure rather than a hierarchical one.

7 Coaching Frameworks for Driving Accountability

So how do we drive accountability in conversations and put it into practice?

As leaders and coaches, here are some frameworks and models you can use to help your clients and employees stay accountable in a supportive and empowering way.

(1) Understanding Readiness for Accountability

Accountability works best when a person is ready for action. The Stages of Change Model by Prochaska and DiClemente offers a framework for understanding readiness:

1. Pre-contemplation: The need for change isn’t fully recognised yet. Support at this stage involves raising awareness of the impact of inaction

Example: A team member has been missing deadlines and submitting incomplete work. Their manager has pointed it out, but they don’t believe it’s a real problem.

They think, “Work has been hectic, but it’s not a big deal – I’ll catch up soon.”

As a manager, you can:

• Build trust before pushing for accountability.
• Raise awareness by helping them see the consequences of inaction.
• Ask questions like, “How do you think this affects the team’s workload?” or “What impact might this have on your career growth?”

2. Contemplation: The individual acknowledges the need for change but hasn’t fully committed. Setting a goal here will likely lead to failure. Here, we weigh the benefits of change against the risks of inaction.

Example: The employee begins to realise their missed deadlines are causing issues. They say, “I know I’ve been struggling, but I don’t know how to change things.”

As a manager, you can:

• Avoid jumping to solutions and help them reflect on the costs of inaction and the benefits of improvement.
• Encourage ownership by asking, “What’s one thing you could change to improve?”
• Acknowledge their concerns and build confidence in their ability to change.

3. Preparation: This is where we plan actionable steps and ensure the person has the necessary skills and support. At this stage, we agree on a plan for what will happen.

Example: The employee agrees they need to change and is open to solutions.

They say, “I think I need better time management, but I’m not sure where to start.”

As a manager, you can:

• Work together to identify clear steps for improvement.
• Assess if they need training, mentoring, or support.
• Help them create specific, achievable goals (e.g., “Let’s start by prioritising your workload and using a project tracker.”)

4. Action: Here, we’re monitoring progress, celebrating wins, and refining plans. We are helping to unblock and overcome resistance and procrastination.

Example: The employee starts using a task tracker, blocks out focus time, and asks for help when needed. Their work quality improves, and they meet deadlines more consistently.

As a manager, you can:

• Provide ongoing feedback and support.
• Recognise progress to keep motivation high.
• Troubleshoot any roadblocks together.

5. Maintenance: Sustaining progress and applying learning to other areas.

Example: The employee has built better work habits but occasionally slips into old patterns. However, they now self-correct when they notice a problem. They say, “I used to procrastinate, but now I catch myself and reset.”

As a manager, you can:

• Encourage reflection on progress.
• Check-in periodically to prevent regression
• Help them apply these skills to other areas of their work.

What I like about these stages is acknowledging that we need to be ready to move into an accountability cycle – and when action isn’t happening, we may need to spend more time connecting to our values, purpose, and what matters.

(2) Internal and External Motivators

Linking to the above framework, we can then take time to explore what their internal and external drivers and motivators are for change or action.

Understanding motivation is key to sustaining accountability. We can explore internal motivation by asking:

1. What makes this change important?
2. What is my internal driver for this change?
3. How important is it to me that the change happens?
4. What are the consequences for me of not achieving my goal?
5. What steps can I take? How will I know if your plan is working?
6. What could interfere with my plan?
7. What could I do if my plan stops working?

Similarly, external motivation can be identified by reflecting on:

1. What external drivers are there for the change?
2. How important is it to others that the change happens?
3. What are the consequences for others of not achieving my goal?
4. How can others help me?
5. What could interfere with my plan?
6. How would I like to be held accountable?

What structures could I put in place to help me achieve my plan?

These questions can help set the scene for a successful move on accountability.

(3) Create Structures for Success

Accountability structures help ensure that goals are followed through.

These structures can include:

• Regular check-ins: With a coach, mentor, or accountability buddy.
• Reminders and habit tracking: Using phone alerts, habit-tracking apps, or spreadsheets.
• If-then planning: Setting specific triggers, e.g., If it’s Monday, I will do my accounts.

(4) Celebrate their Small Wins

James Clear, in Atomic Habits, emphasises the impact of small, consistent improvements – just 1% better each day leads to significant progress over time. I’ll like his book here.

Celebrating small wins keeps motivation high and strengthens accountability.

Other Tools

Here are a few practical approaches to making accountability more effective:

(5) The Readiness Ruler

A scaling technique to gauge how committed you are to taking action. Rate your readiness from 1-10 and explore what would help you move up the scale. This is a simple yet powerful tool we teach on our coach training programme. 

(6) Habit Stacking

Pairing new habits with existing routines, such as reviewing goals every morning with coffee.

(7) Support Groups

Whether it’s mastermind groups or career support networks, collective accountability provides both encouragement and inspiration.

To sum up…

Accountability is a tool for transformation. It’s not about enforcement but about support, growth, and achieving what truly matters.

Whether through a coach, mentor, or trusted friend, having someone walk alongside us makes a significant difference.

If this resonates with you, take a moment to reflect: Where in your life could accountability help you move forward? Who could be your accountability partner? Let’s commit to taking that first step today.

About the Author

Jean Balfour is Managing Director of Bailey Balfour and Programme Director of our ICF Accredited Coach Training Programmes. Jean is passionate about helping people to have good conversations both at work and at home. She believes that coaching is a life skill and that you never regret learning to coach.

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