What's Your Perspective?

Last week I led a client retreat designed to get greater clarity on purpose and vision, discuss and process culture and develop key strategic initiatives for 2023.

One of the leaders shared the following in a LinkedIn post that I found insightful and inspiring. He wrote this as a leader in the public accounting industry, but I believe that what he shared has relevance to your business no matter the industry.

Steve Amigone wrote: "As the new year begins, I find myself contemplating the future of the public accounting industry (although certainly not on such an epic scale).

There’s no doubt, the headwinds in public accounting are strong:

* mass burnout,

* attrition,

* quiet quitting,

* long hours,

* declining talent pool,

* competing industries,

* mergers….the list goes on.

However, from my vantage point, I see a new hope and I’m optimistic for the future. As an industry, we need to focus more on building a sustainable version of the public accounting firm.

Below are some ideas that can be transformative to our business:

• Measure contributions through client success (not billable hours)

• Manage people and their individual careers (not numbers on spreadsheets)

• Deliver outcomes (not revenues)

• Prioritize your family (yes, actually make your wellbeing a priority, not an afterthought)

• Build lasting careers (not just an off-ramp to another profession)

• Reward client service (not realization)

Cheers to a new year— and a new hope for those of us who love client service in public accounting!" - Steve Amigone, Principal, Consulting Practice Leader

What about from your vantage point? What do you see as headwinds in your industry?

Are you clear about your company's purpose?

What do you and your cohorts believe about quality, excellence, customer service, fulfillment, employee and customer engagement, your communities, how people should be treated, responsibility, accountability, culture, among others?

Remember, people don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it (Simon Sinek). The same is true equally for your customers and your employees.

Today's complex world requires a new level of strong, authentic and engaging leadership. What worked before doesn't necessarily work now.

According to Daniel Pink, bestselling author and thought leader, the notion of management is outdated.

Management as we have come to know it was borne out of the industrial age. Business transitioned from the industrial age to the information age with the advent of computers. That was 60 years ago!

So what is next?

New rules of leading, employee engagement, diversity, equity, inclusion, and customer relationships demand that leaders be flexible and resilient and drive their businesses with vision and purpose. These rules require a laser-focus on culture and values and what matters most.

Are you creating a sustainable business for the 21st century?

Until Next Time!