3 reasons that peer led accountability could be costing you more business than its winning

Like so many of you, this past year brought about a series of incredibly heavy personal trials. From the grief of a painful family loss and the almost constant and unexpected challenges of finally moving into our 'forever home,' it felt as though the floor was constantly shifting. On top of that, I faced a cancer scare that put everything into a different perspective. I'm sharing this now because I believe in being transparent about the reality of the 'uphill battles' we face behind the scenes; it has been an exceptionally tough road. I'm focusing on the delicate balance of professional support in today's podcast. While having a solid network of peers is essential for any entrepreneur, there is a growing trend of relying on these circles for the wrong reasons which is why I'm breaking down the distinction between accountability and expert advisory, and why confusing the two can stall your progress. I'm also highlighting how to ensure your inner circle supports - rather than hinders - your sales growth. There are also some exciting updates for my newsletter subscribers, I've made some changes to my newsletter and,  if you'd like to keep up with my latest thoughts, email me for the link to The B2B Sales Edit In this episode I'm sharing; A Personal Update: Reflections on moving past last year's hurdles, a major health victory, and why I'm leaning further into my writing and the new B2B Sales Edit newsletter. The Power (and Limits) of Peers: Why a community of like-minded founders is vital for your mindset, but why they shouldn't be your primary source of strategic business advice in a tough economy. Accountability vs. Advisory: Understanding the distinction between someone who cheers you on and someone who has the expertise to troubleshoot your sales process. The "Fear Mirror": How peers often unknowingly project their own business anxieties onto your strategy, whereas an objective advisor remains focused on your specific goals. Protecting Your Professional Friendships: Why the "free advice" dynamic can create an imbalance that eventually erodes valuable relationships. The Sales Safety Net: Why you need a robust system and the internal skills to troubleshoot your own sales, rather than crowdsourcing your most critical business decisions. Key Quotes; "I believe that having a peer network who genuinely understand what you're trying to achieve, understand why you're doing the things that you do, understand how to help you stay accountable to your goals and who can help challenge you in those moments where you're having those mindset wobbles around, can I really do this, and who can motivate you to take action even when you don't really want to. I think that is invaluable, I really do." - 00:20:0400:20:36 "I think there's always a lot of guilt around investment in self, and that's before the economy changed. As disposable income gets less, there's also this almost fear, "what if I make the wrong investment?" - 00:23:4100:23:57 "It's also good to be busy with sales activity. So if you're somebody who has found that your motivation and your accountability has maybe been a little low, drop me a line, get yourself onto the newsletter list, get yourself a little, I don't know, a pep up a couple of times a week just to make sure that you're actually doing the right things for your business." - 00:01:3100:01:53 "It can also be really difficult to consistently be the smartest person in the room, or the person who feels like they're giving the most, you know, the person who feels like they're always organizing the co-working, or the person who feels like they're always the one giving out the referrals, or the person who feels like they're always the one sharing tips and advice but not ever getting it back, or certainly not to the degree that they're putting in. That becomes really hard, and sometimes that can actually break down friendships and things." - 00:35:5800:36:31 "Accountability and having accountability and motivation from your peers is wonderful, but it's absolutely not the same as advisory, and it shouldn't be used as such." - 00:39:0900:39:21 Key Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Join the Newsletter: Want the link to The B2B Sales Edit? Email me at [email protected] and I'll get you added to the list. Episode sponsored by The Expert Services Directory: A key resource for coaches / consultants / trainers and done-for-you service providers to generate inbound leads. Access The Expert Services Directory here https://bit.ly/ExpertServicesDirectory and use code PODCAST for a special bonus. If you've enjoyed listening to 3 reasons that peer led accountability could be costing you more business than its winning, why don't you check out this episode.   Are you speaking to decision-makers or influencers (& why it matters!) https://bit.ly/SellingToCorporate167   Content Disclaimer The information contained above is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this article, video or audio are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this article, video or audio. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this article, video or audio. Jessica Lorimer disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this article, video or audio.