When it comes to coaching disciples and disciple-makers, accountability is a delicate dance. I’m often reminded of this with the small group of men I lead. If I come in too hot, it pushes people away. If I’m too soft, the impact gets lost.
Over the years, I’ve found a “gentle but firm” sweet spot that works beautifully, and it boils down to a simple routine we practice during the last 15 minutes of our time together:
1. Reflect: Everyone takes a few moments to sit with the Scripture we’ve discussed and ask the Holy Spirit to prompt them with one actionable takeaway.
2. Schedule: Once they’ve discerned that step, they lock it into their phone calendar as a reminder for the upcoming week.
3. Share (Optionally): We come back together, and everyone has the option to share their step. There’s no pressure, but interestingly enough, everyone usually does!
The following week, we open our session with a quick check-in to hear what everyone learned. What I love about this approach is that it builds organic accountability on everyone’s own terms—including mine!
Learning from the Best
As a coach, I always keep an eye out for world-class secular experts whose insights can be curated to serve leaders in the church, church planting networks, and international missions.
That’s why Michael Bungay Stanier has caught my attention recently.
You might know him as the author of The Coaching Habit (the best-selling book on coaching this century) or recognize him as a Rhodes Scholar named by the ICF and Thinkers50 as a premier voice shaping modern coaching. He’s a brilliant Australian living in Canada, and he has some profound things to say about accountability.
I think his perspective is well worth tuning into at the FREE upcoming Coaching.com Summit on June 8th at 7:00 AM PST / 10:00 AM EST.
While my immediate thought is how this can empower front-line disciple-makers, his insights apply just as powerfully to pastors, church planters, and executive leaders serving in the organizational C-suite.
His session, “Courageous Commitment: The Accountability Shift for Coaches,” promises to deliver three great takeaways:
1. Three insights that explain exactly why it’s so hard to hold ourselves to the tasks we truly want to achieve.
2. Three paradoxes about accountability that will twist your thinking up in the most delightful way.
3. A surprise finale that’s under wraps— you’ll have to tune in to see it unfold!
If you’re looking to sharpen how you maintain accountability for yourself first and foremost, walk alongside others as they make disciples, and elevate leaders you empower through coaching in their ministries, I’d love for you to join me for this webinar.
Here is how to register – CLICK HERE. Sign up for the FREE access. You will have access to a bunch of other sessions that might be of interest as well, but I recommend “Courageous Commitment: The Accountability Shift for Coaches,” led by Michael Bungay Stanier.
