Core Accountability Questions — The Daily Habit That Builds Self-Discipline and Leadership Strength

“The most important conversations you’ll ever have are the ones you’ll have with yourself.” — David Goggins

We all talk about accountability.
We expect it from our teams, our peers, and our leaders.

But here’s the truth: you can’t hold anyone accountable until you first hold yourself accountable.

That’s why self-assessment is the ultimate leadership habit — because awareness always comes before performance.

The Problem With Accountability

In a fast-moving world, it’s easy to drift.
We get caught in endless meetings, constant urgency, and the illusion of progress — but rarely stop to ask: Am I actually improving?

Without deliberate reflection, habits slip.
And small lapses — in focus, consistency, or discipline — compound into big problems over time.

The solution? A simple but powerful daily practice.

Marshall Goldsmith’s Daily Accountability System

World-renowned executive coach Marshall Goldsmith uses a radical system to keep himself on track.

Every night, an associate calls him and asks a series of self-assessment questions. He must answer honestly — every single day.

It’s simple, uncomfortable, and brutally effective.

Not all of us have a personal accountability coach, but we can all adopt the same principle.

The Six Core Accountability Questions

Marshall Goldsmith asks himself these six questions every day:

1. Did I do my best to set clear goals?
2. Did I do my best to make progress toward achieving them?
3. Did I do my best to find meaning?
4. Did I do my best to be happy?
5. Did I do my best to build positive relationships?
6. Did I do my best to be fully engaged?

Notice the pattern: each question begins with “Did I do my best…”

This phrasing matters.
It removes blame, eliminates excuses, and focuses on personal effort — something always within your control.

Why It Works

When you track your progress daily, you build three key leadership muscles:

• Self-Awareness — You start to notice patterns in your behavior and energy.
• Self-Discipline — You strengthen the habit of follow-through.
• Self-Control — You learn to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively.

Goldsmith puts it perfectly in Triggers:

“Self-discipline achieves desirable behavior.
Self-control avoids undesirable behavior.”

The combination of both creates powerful behavioral change.

Building an Accountability Habit

You don’t need a coach — just a system.

Try this:

• Pick 3–6 questions that matter most to you.
• Schedule a 5-minute reflection every evening.
• Score yourself 1–10 on each.
• Track your scores weekly and look for trends.

There are dozens of apps (like Streaks, Habitica, or Daylio) that make it easy — or you can just use a notebook.

Over time, the questions shift your mindset from reactive to intentional.

Accountability and Leadership

What does this have to do with business? Everything.

Leaders who practice self-accountability build credibility.
They model ownership.
They create cultures where responsibility is the norm — not the exception.

And yes, you can use the same method with your team.

Using Accountability Questions With Direct Reports

If a team member needs focus or behavioral change, ask them to create their own daily questions, such as:

• Did you do your best to prioritize your key goals today?
• Did you do your best to learn something new?
• Did you do your best to avoid negative talk about others?
• Did you do your best to appreciate your team?

Then have them check in weekly.
It’s not about policing — it’s about coaching for awareness.

Try it for 30 days. You’ll be amazed by the change.

Final Thought

Accountability starts with a question, not a command.

Ask yourself:

• Did I do my best today?

And if the answer is no — you already know what tomorrow needs to look like.

Want help embedding accountability systems into your leadership team?

Contact me at tedb@strategyandexecution.com.au to schedule a free 30-minute discovery meeting.