If you ever feel stuck at work and need to work on your performance, you don't have to do it alone.
Jeff Black, the founder of leadership development consulting company Black Sheep, says you can improve workplace habits with an accountability partner (or someone who commits to holding you responsible to reaching your goals).
Receiving criticism is tough, Black says, but feedback will allow you to get better at your job. Leaders who don't make themselves accountable for even their small mistakes are shown to pay the consequences down the line.
Whether you need to slow down how quickly you speak in a meeting or refrain from using filler words including "uh" and "like," Black says an easy solution is to ask a coworker to keep you accountable.
Working on such habits can help make you a better communicator in the workplace, Black says.
"You want someone who sees you in meetings or is on conference calls with you so that they can give you this real time and after time feedback about how you did," Black says.
This person should tell you what you need to hear and give honest critiques, Black says. If you have the option, pick someone who is neutral or who has been tough on you in the past.
"They can send you some kind of subtle message in the meeting," Black says. "Then immediately after that meeting, you get with your accountability partner to say, 'Okay, how did that go?'"
But whatever you do, don't pick your best friend "who's going to tell you what you want to hear."
"They're going to be too kind," Black adds.
Your accountability partner should also be someone who you like to get to know better. This creates the potential to develop a mentor relationship.
Black adds this is a "great chance to build your network."
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