Why Leadership Resolutions Fail & How Peer Accountability Makes Them Stick

When I was working in Bhutan a few months ago, I noticed that leadership didn’t announce itself the way it often does in Western boardrooms.

There were no slogans or polished statements on the walls. I sat in rooms where leaders debated choices that wouldn’t benefit them directly, and might not pay off for decades. 

No one rushed to be the smartest voice. People listened and challenged one another thoughtfully. And when someone spoke, it was clear they felt accountable not just to the outcome, but to the group around them.

That sense of shared responsibility seems particularly applicable in January, when so many leaders set intentions to show up differently—more strategic, more decisive, more courageous.

The intentions are real, but the problem is structural. Without some form of outer accountability, even the strongest leadership resolutions tend to fade.

The New Year Illusion: Strong Intentions, No Structure

January is when leaders tell themselves things like:

• “I need to be more strategic this year.”

• “I want my team to take more initiative instead of escalating everything.”

• “I need to communicate with more confidence, especially with the board.”

• “I want to lead with courage, not caution.”

  
  

These are sincere statements and experienced leaders know exactly where they want to grow.

The problem is that self-awareness without reinforcement rarely survives pressure.

By February, the inbox is full again. Decisions pile up, meetings blur together, and the behaviors leaders wanted to change quietly revert not because they don’t care, but because no one is holding the thread when real work intrudes.

This is where most New Year leadership resolutions fail, from lack of outer accountability.

Bhutan’s Lesson, Applied at Work

One of the core takeaways from my work in Bhutan is that values only matter when they are operationalized, when they are practiced, discussed, and reinforced collectively.

Courage isn’t something you decide once in January and integrity isn’t something you declare in a strategy deck. These are behaviors that must be rehearsed in real time, especially when conditions are imperfect. (Which they pretty much always are!) 

And rehearsal works best when someone else is paying attention.

Why Accountability Changes Leadership Behavior

Accountability gets a bad reputation in senior environments. It’s often confused with oversight, performance management, or pressure.

Peer accountability is none of those.

When done well, peer accountability creates:

• Visibility — someone else knows what you’re practicing

• Continuity — growth doesn’t reset every Monday

• Reflection — patterns surface before they calcify

• Momentum — small changes compound

  
  

This is why peer-based accountability consistently outperforms solo development plans, especially for experienced leaders.

Research supports this. Studies on peer coaching and implementation intentions show that people are significantly more likely to follow through on behavioral change when commitments are shared, specific, and revisited regularly. 

How Two-Week Peer Check-Ins Turn Intentions Into Action

In leadership workshops, particularly those focused on Critical Thinking & Taking Initiative, a two-week peer check-in cadence has proven remarkably effective.

Two weeks is short enough to keep urgency alive and long enough to test behaviors under real conditions. The focus is not on goals. It’s on observable leadership behaviors.

What That Looks Like in Practice

Example 1: Executive Presence and Board Communication

New Year intention: “I want the board to see me as more strategic and decisive.”

Behavioral commitment: “I will lead board updates with the headline and business impact before providing detail.”

Two-week reality: In the first meeting, the leader starts with context out of habit. Mid-sentence, they stop, reset, and restate the recommendation up front.

Peer check-in insight: “I default to detail when I’m uncertain how my recommendation will land.”

Next adjustment: “If I feel uncertain, I’ll name the uncertainty after I’ve stated my point of view.”

That shift—practiced repeatedly—is executive presence.

Example 2: Critical Thinking Instead of Rescuing

New Year intention: “My team needs to think more critically instead of relying on me.”

Behavioral commitment: “In meetings, I’ll ask one ‘what are we assuming?’ question before offering a solution.”

Two-week reality: Silence feels uncomfortable. The team looks to the leader anyway.

Peer check-in insight: “I confuse leadership with speed. I jump in to relieve discomfort.”

Next adjustment: “If there’s silence, I’ll wait ten seconds before speaking.”

That pause is where critical thinking is learned.

Example 3: Taking Initiative and Leading With Courage

New Year intention: “I want to speak up earlier when I see risk.”

Behavioral commitment: “If I notice early warning signs, I’ll raise them even without full data.”

Two-week reality: The leader flags a vendor issue sooner than usual. It feels premature but proves correct.

Peer check-in insight: “I’ve been equating responsibility with certainty.”

Next adjustment: “I’ll name what I’m seeing, why it matters, and what I recommend—even if it’s provisional.”

Why Peer-to-Peer Accountability Works at the Senior Level

As leaders become more senior, feedback decreases, deference increases, and assumptions go unchallenged. Peer accountability restores what hierarchy erodes: honest reflection without evaluation.

It creates space to say “Here’s where I default under pressure” or “Here’s where I avoided initiative.” That kind of truth-telling is invaluable.

Three Structures That Work & When to Use Them

1:1 Partnerships Best for executive presence, confidence, and high-stakes conversations.

Triads Two leaders practice while one observes patterns. Excellent for communication and judgment.

Pods (5–6 leaders) Ideal for leadership teams and cultural shifts. Creates shared norms and language.

The structure matters less than the rhythm; consistency is what builds change.

A Better Way to Think About New Year Leadership Resolutions

The most effective New Year resolution for leaders isn’t “I’ll be better.”

It’s:

• “I’ll practice one behavior.”

• “I’ll name it out loud.”

• “I’ll put peers next to it.”

• “I’ll revisit it every two weeks.”
  

Leadership doesn’t change through insight alone and peer accountability is how good intentions survive the year.