Elephants
Name the unspoken. A 6-month accountability group with your closest friends.
Michael BatkoFramework · tested with 300+ foundersWhat it is
Elephants is a 6-month accountability group you run with your two or three closest friends. The name comes from “the elephant in the room” - the things nobody talks about. This framework makes those conversations happen on purpose, not by accident.
Why it matters
Here’s what I’ve noticed: most people have friends they talk to about surface-level stuff, and maybe one or two people they’re truly honest with. But even with those close friends, you rarely have a structured way to hold each other accountable. You share your goals over a drink, forget about them, and wonder why nothing changed. Elephants creates the structure that makes real accountability possible.
How to use it
Form a group of 2–3 people you trust deeply. Set goals together every six months - not too many, 10–20 max, then reduce them to 3 main themes plus habits. During the six months, share a weekly Slack summary: your Good, Bad, and Ugly for the week. Be brutally honest. At the six-month mark, review together, celebrate progress, name what’s not working, and set the next round. The weekly rhythm is what makes it stick.
My experience with it
I’ve run Elephants for years and it’s become one of the most valuable things in my life. Your Elephants group becomes the people who know what you’re really going through. Not the LinkedIn version of your life - the real version. They know when your marriage is under strain. They know when you’re doubting yourself. They know when you’re avoiding a hard conversation at work. And because they know, they can actually help.
Try this today
Think of two or three people in your life who you trust and who are invested in their own growth. Send them a message today: “Hey, I’ve been reading about accountability groups and I want to try something. Would you be up for a 6-month experiment where we share our goals and do a quick weekly check-in?” Keep it simple. The conversation starts the framework.
