The Parliament Vol. 2, No. 20

How Will You Hold Yourself Accountable?

Author

Thomas Greek
June 06, 2025

COACHING PROMPT OF THE WEEK

“How Will You Hold Yourself Accountable?”

This question is a cornerstone of powerful coaching, as you shift responsibility for the outcome of the coaching to the team member. 

This is where true empowerment lies, but it does require some forethought and action on the team member’s part. 

You might ask this question after your team member derives a course of action or sets a goal for themselves.  Their answers might include setting a reminder for themselves, finding an accountability partner (including you!), or breaking the task down into smaller bits.

 You might also ask these follow-up questions to probe more deeply:

  • What do ‘first steps’ look like?

  • What tools or resources will you need?

  • What will you do to overcome obstacles or setbacks?

Remember that coaching isn’t telling! Coaching is about staying curious and making space for those in our care to become confident authors of their own stories.

I am a pro at "shoulding" on myself.

We all do it to some degree.

We have a long list of behaviors and expectations that we tell ourselves we ought to live up to.

  • I should get that degree.

  • I should pursue that promotion.

  • I should volunteer more.

  • I should, I should, I should....

All that self-imposed pressure can be overwhelming. And over time, it can affect our wellbeing and distract from other priorities in our lives.

There is a better way.

By making a habit of checking in with ourselves when we hear those stories in our heads about all the things we should do, we can become better at balancing the responsibilities of everyday life with what we WANT to do.

And we can do this in a way that aligns with their values and goals. What are some ways you've been "shoulding" on yourself lately?

Want to sharpen your coaching skills, join us in the Leaders as Coaches Online program and watch your team – and your leadership – transform. www.ThomasGreekCoaching.com

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“You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.” – Naguib Mahfouz

 Wisdom goes beyond mere knowledge.

Cultivating Curiosity is the key to real wisdom.

I’ve learned to be okay with “not knowing” and instead, lean into asking questions and seeking to understand.

What if you surrendered the need to know and have all the answers, and asked powerful questions instead?

Want to Enhance Your Coaching Skills?

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