Last week on You’re the Boss, Now What, we broke down how to hold other people accountable. Most managers can wrap their head around that part. The hard part is holding yourself accountable when “life is lifeing” and your time, energy, and attention get pulled in every direction.
This stand-alone guide—built only from the episode transcript—gives you a simple way to follow through on what you say you want. It’s written for first-time managers who want real-world Coaching for Managers, New Manager Tips, and practical steps you can use today.
Why self-accountability is so hard
- Life keeps interrupting. Responsibilities, emergencies, and everyday stress steal focus from goals that actually matter to you.
- You may be self-aware, but awareness without action changes nothing.
- Motivation gets misunderstood. It is not a feeling you wait for; it is the original reason you set the goal.
As a Leadership Podcast for New Managers, we talk a lot about Team Dynamics, How to Be a Better Manager, and How to Build Trust as a Manager. None of that sticks if you are not following through yourself.
A personal snapshot to ground the lesson
As a teenager, I weighed 275 pounds entering seventh grade. By eighth grade I could not make the volleyball team or get up off the floor easily. That was a turning point. No one else could fix it for me. I started small—running to the mailbox and back—then built from there.
Later in life, after an ectopic pregnancy and weight gain, I had to rebuild again. During the pandemic, many of us did. The point is not weight loss. It is ownership. Whether your goal is reading more, sleeping better, drinking more water, praying, or spending focused time with your kids—only you can do the reps that move you forward.
Start here: pick one thing
Do not stack five new habits at once. Choose the single result you want most right now.
Examples you can use:
- Read leadership or personal development each day
- Stretch for flexibility or mobility
- Schedule a true date night
- Take a social media break for mental health
- Save (or intentionally spend) a set amount to align with your values
This is self-engagement—the base layer of the “foundation of self” I teach in Taking Intentional Action. Self-awareness is useful. Self-engagement is what moves the needle.
Keywords used naturally: How to Be a Better Manager, Coaching for Managers, New Manager Tips.
Replace time blocking with time locking
If classic time blocking does not work for you, lock a minimum amount of time instead of a time of day.
- Choose your daily minimum. For me, that is 20 minutes right now. It has changed with seasons of life.
- Use any open window. Morning, between meetings, after the kids go to bed—just hit your minutes.
- Keep a “20-minute menu.” Reading, stretching, playing with your kids, journaling. No scrolling necessary.
This reframes “I do not have time” into “I have 20 minutes.” It turns random gaps into progress.
Keywords used naturally: How to Lead Effective Team Meetings, How to Be a Better Manager.
Reframe motivation
Many people say they failed because they lacked accountability or motivation. Remember what motivation actually is—the original reason you set the goal.
Ask yourself:
- What moment made me want this
- What did I see in the mirror, at work, or at home that told me it was time to change
Return to that spark when the feeling is not there. That is how you keep going when life is heavy.
Keywords used naturally: How to Handle Conflict at Work as a Manager, How to Build Trust as a Manager.
Evaluate your excuses instead of ignoring them
Do not adopt a “no excuses ever” mindset. If the same barrier shows up again and again, investigate it.
- If the excuse is telling you the goal no longer matters, release it.
- If the goal still matters, recommit and change the approach so you can get to the other side of hard.
This is how you avoid resentment, shame spirals, and all-or-nothing thinking.
Keywords used naturally: How to Fix a Toxic Culture, New Manager Tips.
Use an accountability mirror
Be honest with yourself—kind, but clear.
Say it plainly:
- I do not like how I feel in my body
- I am not reading like I said I would
- I am not present with my kids the way I want to be
Clarity is kind. You are not attacking yourself. You are naming reality so you can choose the next action.
Keywords used naturally: Coaching for Managers, How to Be a Better Manager.
Build habits when nothing is on the line
In my book I share how pre-built habits carried me through intense loss and family crisis. When life hits hard, it is not the time to begin new routines. It is the time to lean on the ones you already built.
- When things are calm, walk into the wind on purpose
- Stretch, read, hydrate, and rest before you need the resilience
- Then, when disruptions come, pieces of your life still feel controllable
This is leadership at home and at work. It is also how to Hold Employees Accountable later—by first modeling follow-through yourself.
A 20-minute plan you can start today
- Pick one goal that truly matters right now
- Define a daily minimum time for that goal
- Put a 20-minute menu on your desk or phone
- Use any open window today to do one block
- Repeat tomorrow and track the streak
If you miss, do not start over. Just do the next 20 minutes. This is how you build trust with yourself, which strengthens your credibility when you lead others.
Keywords used naturally: How to Hold Employees Accountable, How to Be a Better Manager, Team Dynamics.
Why this matters for your leadership
If you cannot hold yourself accountable, it becomes harder to hold others accountable. People will not trust your words if they cannot see your actions. Leading by example is one of the most important soft skills for first-time managers.
Related search terms included for SEO: Desiree Petrich, First-Time Manager Podcast, Leadership Podcast for New Managers, Difficult Employees, How to Delegate, Imposter Syndrome in Leadership.
