I got the opportunity to create a brand new keynote specifically for accountants called “The P&L of Communication,” where I encouraged accountants to see P&L as “People and Language” – the real assets in client relationships. Accounting today is about more than numbers; it’s about understanding clients’ needs, communicating effectively, and bringing real value beyond the balance sheet.
I shared a Future Fit Framework to help attendees assess and elevate their approach moving into this rapidly changing business climate, along with a mindset called “Meliorism”—the belief that we can each make a positive impact through compassion, creativity, and kindness. This shift is crucial as accountants evolve into trusted advisors, connecting with clients on a deeper level and helping them navigate both their financial and personal worlds.
Ultimately, it’s about reframing the role. By embracing “peopling” skills, leveraging technology like video emails, and setting clear expectations in all interactions, “Expert Financial Accounting Professionals”, the rebranded language I suggested, create meaningful and lasting client relationships. It’s time to level up the accounting profession, redefine what it means to serve clients, and Reframe the accounting profession.
And to Carlos M. Garcia and Hector Garcia CPA who imagined and delivered the REFRAME2024 event, your BDA (Before, During and After) of this event was exceptional.
Everyone is talking about AI. Some people are incredibly excited about it while others have dread. I was kind of mixed about it until I realized all of the things that AI can’t do.
*AI cannot replace any of the things that make us unique, human or valuable to other people.
*AI is not creative. It is just compiling information that other people have already put out there.
*AI is not compassionate,. It cannot tell how you’re feeling and give you a hug to make you feel better. It can’t tell how your family member is feeling when they just want to be with you in the silence until they feel better.
*AI is not designed to create connection. It does not facilitate humans connecting with other humans in a way that they feel the physical emotional and spiritual energies that each human carries with them whereever they go.
As human beings we are designed to create a tribe. To surround ourselves with people who love, appreciate and acknowledge us for our strengths our weaknesses, our geniuses and our faults.
So with all of this “Artificial Intelligence”, I invite you to dig even deeper into your “Actual Human-ness”. Lean into your desire to be creative, to form teams, tribes, groups, families, friends, and organizations that lift each other up. AI can’t do that.
What if competition was all in your head? What if it was only about you? Instead of comparing yourself against someone else’s current state of being, what if you only looked at yourself and where you are in comparison to where YOU’VE been. That is the Pursuit of Better.
I just spent a week in my professional association (NSAspeaker.org) learning from, and networking with some of the people who are the best professional speakers, consultants, thought leaders and influencers in the country.
Here are a few of the prime take-aways, that apply to any business.
1. There is nothing more important than staying relevant. One of the best ways to stay relevant is to continue in the pursuit of better. We can all get better. We can update our knowledge, our training and learn what is applicable NOW, in 2022. We can see how the past informs the present, but learn from others as to how the present will inform the future.
2. Your personal and professional image need an update as everything has changed over the past few years. Is your image, personal and corporate as up to date as it could be? While at the convention in Nashville, TN, my friend, Dr. Mary Kelly and I hired a professional photographer to update our headshots and generate some brand new images to use on social media and correspondence with our clients. What are you doing to update your image and to stay relevant? (See the above image as an example of updated as of this week!)
3. Set goals for the future. Are there people in your industry with distinctions, accolades and credentials that you admire? Is it time to aspire to achieving those for yourself? My dad always said, if you are going to do something, do it to the best of your ability. That’s all you can do. Is there somewhere you would like to be by this time next year? Take care of yourself, and for your own well being, work into the pursuit of better. – Carolyn
Work is different now. And there is no where to easily get the skills to run and attend hybrid meetings. Joe Curcillo and I have created 100 Minutes to Brilliant Blended Meetings to solve the challenge of how to conduct and attend blended meetings. In 8 fast moving episodes and a bonus episode for team members, Joe and I combined our 40 years of meeting experience to create the guide for these challenging times. I am here to help. For a preview of the program please go to https://brilliant100.com/. And if an additional discount will help your company thrive, please reach out to me and ask. Happy Meetings!!
As a performer since the age of 5, I get so excited when I get to be “on stage”. As a professional speaker on sales, persuasion and execution, I have spent a lot of time staying true to my “business”. But FUN is so important in business that when the opportunity to collaborate with two comic geniuses showed up in my life, I jumped at the chance.
Please join me with my partners, Dale Irvin, https://daleirvin.com and Tim Slagle https://timslagle.com/ as we explore the life, culture and experiences of the Baby Boomer generation on our audio show (podcast).
I got the opportunity to be a guest on my friend Holly Duckworth’s podcast, Everyday Mindfulness. The conversation went in a direction I did not expect, but I think that is the key to Mindfulness. Being in the moment and following the moment where it leads.
As we get close to the end of Summer 2018, take a moment when you can to feel the sunshine on your face, a breeze through your hair, the smell of ocean and maybe even appreciate the lack of needing to shovel. At least for a while.
I’m happy to share this recording with you. I hope you enjoy it. Namaste, Carolyn
