A Men’s Accountability Group Made Simple: A Step-by-Step Guide

Looking to be held accountable? Searching for a men’s accountability group? You’ve come to the right place!

Maybe you’ve set the same goals for numerous years and you still haven’t achieved them. You might have said to yourself, “Next year I’ll start saving money,” but years later you’re in the same boat. Does this sound like you? A men’s accountability group could help you set realistic goals and hold you accountable to achieve them. It has been proven that community-based accountability can really help a man grow and thrive. 

We’ve been running men’s support groups and accountability groups for the past ten years and hope to answer all of your questions below. Let’s chat more about men’s accountability groups:

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Written by

Sean Galla

An experienced facilitator, community builder and Peer Support Specialist, Sean has been running men's groups for 10+ years. Read Sean's Full Author Bio.

What is a men’s accountability group? 

A men’s accountability group is a gathering of men who come together to set goals and help hold each other accountable for their progress, actions, and goals. Men’s accountability groups are guys chatting about things they want to change in their lives, and then being held accountable to set and make goals based on the habits the members are wanting to change. Men’s accountability groups are not just about checking off a to-do list, it’s about helping each other stay on task and making sure your goals are met. Members of the group report back on their progress at an agreed time; these groups can meet weekly, biweekly or monthly and meetings can be in-person or virtual. 

To be clear, while many men’s accountability groups are focused on religious topics like Christianity, the bible and restraining from masturbating. The reality is that there are many men’s accountability groups out there that have nothing to do with Christ or any other religion.

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What are the benefits of an accountability group?

As was said in this article on how to create a successful accountability group, humans are hardwired to be social creatures, and all kinds of good comes from being together in accountability groups.

Helps you set achievable goals 

Maybe you’ve been wanting to do this certain thing for years, but your goals were too far fetched to do so without you even knowing. Telling your ideas to a group will help break down the steps into achieving your goals. Maybe someone in your group has done something similar that you are wanting to do and will help you get there. This is the beauty of an accountability group. 

Community 

When you have a group who is cheering you on and wants you to achieve your goals, it can be easier to follow through. When you join an accountability group, you will be surrounded by like-minded guys who want to change their lives just like you do. 

Who wants to let their team members down? Not me! Instead of setting goals by yourself and not having motivation or the skills to get to the next step, you’ll have a group of guys that you built vital relationships with helping you along the way.

Helps keep your word

Maybe you’ve had numerous ideas on how to change or enhance your life but you don’t even know where to start. Your group will help you layout your goals and will make sure you stick to them. Having others encourage you to follow through is more beneficial than trying to do it on your own.

Keeps you motivated 

Hanging out with people who are complaining about their lives but are not doing anything about it is draining to be around. Being with a group of guys who are in the same headspace will keep you feeling motivated. Staying motivated is a hell of a lot easier when a group of guys are also putting in the work and are following through with what they promised to the group. When you speak about your goals to others, you receive a combination of responses that can help fuel your motivation to succeed. 

Honest feedback from your group

When you’re going through something tough, it is often hard to see how to get out of it. Having group members giving you advice on how they got through specific issues is one of the positives of accountability groups. You will all work as a team to get through various situations and help you get to the next level in your career, love life, financial situation, etc. On the other hand, if you want to learn more about Men’s Rights Groups, then follow mensgroup.com today.

men's accountability group

How long are accountability meetings?

We get it, it’s often difficult to commit to something that takes up most of your day. Luckily, men’s groups such as this are often less of a commitment than you expect. The length of the meeting depends from meeting to meeting, but usually, they last around an hour and meet once a week. If you don’t have a crazy amount of time on a particular day, letting your group know beforehand will be beneficial. The goal is to commit to a certain length of time, but there is no pressure to stay longer unless you are able. On the other hand, if you’re looking for information about men’s retreat, then mensgroup.com has you covered.

Keys to a successful men’s accountability group? 

Step 1: Choose guys you can trust

These guys don’t need to be your best buddies but invite guys that you know won’t tell your little sister about your marital problems. These groups are 100% confidential and the information told during the accountability groups does not leave the group. If you feel that certain members of the group are not playing by the rules, they need to hit the road. This should be a safe place for everyone to be able to open up and feel comfortable. 

Small groups (around 8-12 men) are the suggested size because small groups can be less intimidating for the members and the facilitator. Bigger groups can be hard to manage. 

Step 2: Choose a group facilitator 

It would be helpful if the online men’s group facilitator had some experience leading group discussions. On the other hand, the group can still be exceptionally successful without the group facilitator having experience. The facilitator should at least have a list of questions ready and helpful guidelines on how the meeting should go. Some accountability groups take turns with who runs the meetings to get everyone’s voices in the room. Some groups have the same facilitator to keep things consistent; It just depends on what the group agrees on. 

Step 3: Set rules and a schedule 

If you want your accountability group to be a success, it would be beneficial for the group to set some rules for everyone to follow. This might seem obvious, but examples of this could be setting a time to meet and making sure the members are on time, not interrupting the person speaking, etc. This group should be a safe place for members to speak their minds. Making sure people know what they are getting themselves into and the dos and don’ts of the group will be helpful. 

Step 4: Choose achievable goals

Setting goals that are too extreme will cause frustration and disappointment within the group. Goals should be straightforward, obtainable but will not necessarily be easy to achieve. The point of these groups is to help one another find effective ways on how to achieve their goals, and actually achieve them. Finding a balance between setting goals that are uncomfortable but not impossible will be rewarding the group. 

Step 5: Stay Organized 

The group facilitator needs to figure out a system that keeps everyone organized and on track. A week can fly by and not documenting what was chatted about during the previous group session can lead to miscommunication. Basically, make sure everyone is on the same page and knows their goals for the week. 

Step 6: Don’t get down on yourself 

No one is perfect and your group doesn’t expect you to always have your sh*t together. Instead of making mistakes and feeling shameful, learn from them. Meeting with your groups will be a safe environment to learn from previous mistakes. Failure is part of the process of success. 

Step 7: Celebrate success

Let’s try not to focus too much on the negatives. Taking time to reflect on the group’s accomplishments will help motivation tremendously. Make sure to give yourself credit outside of the group as well. Great change can be hard as hell to achieve. Feeling good about yourself is a high priority during support groups. Make sure you give yourself and your team members credit for where it is due.

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How do I find the best accountability group for me?

There are a lot of accountability groups out there. Trial and error might be one of the best ways to find the right group that you are looking for. In your search, you may become frustrated as many accountability groups are about christ, Jesus, bible study and Christianity.  

And if you’re looking for more info on men’s accountability groups, you can check out this Inc article on accountability group partnerships

Maybe you’d like to start out with having an accountability partner because you are nervous about chatting with a group, and that is totally fine! No matter what accountability group or partner you choose, we highly recommend that you just get out there and join one. A ton of benefits will come along for the ride when you join a men’s accountability group.