In my youth I used to be an avid reader, tearing through books whenever I had the chance. Back then, there weren’t as many distractions – no endless content competing for attention. These days, I’ve switched to audiobooks. Like many of you, I spend a lot of time in the car, and listening to a good book makes the drive so much better. Plus, it helps me stay calm instead of stewing over traffic. The downside? Any time I try to sit down with a physical book, I somehow end up taking an unplanned nap. Getting older, I guess.

Lately, I’ve been listening to David McCullough’s 1776, which dives into the struggles George Washington and his army faced at the start of the Revolutionary War.

We tend to think of Washington as a larger-than-life hero, but in 1776, he was leading an army constantly on the brink of collapse. His soldiers were a mix of farmers, teachers, shoemakers, and young boys – brave but inexperienced. They faced poor pay, extreme hardship, and the crushing weight of war.

It wasn’t just the British he had to battle – Washington struggled with Congress and trusting his own generals. At times they doubted him too. Through letters to friends, we see that he wrestled with doubt, discouragement, and the fear of failure. But despite it all, he kept pushing forward, inspiring those around him to do the same.

The more I listened, the more I realized how much Washington’s leadership struggles mirror the challenges of running a business. No, the fate of a nation isn’t at stake, but when you’re a business owner, your livelihood is on the line. And failure? It can be devastating.
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Here are five key lessons from Washington’s experience that every business owner can learn from.

​What makes the best accountants great at what they do? Is it financial acumen? Experience across various accounting functions? Years of expertise? Industry-specific knowledge? Sure, those are certainly important, especially at the leadership level!
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However, when you need to hire an accounting manager, there’s one indicator of success that often gets overlooked – being a good listener.

Research shows that inspired employees are more productive, and I think we can all agree colloquially that we have felt that before in roles where we were inspired to do our best work. Inspired teams are highly productive, innovative, strong, and resilient.  For all of us who lead or influence at any level of an organization, we would be wise to consistently stoke the fires of inspiration for our teams.  ​

She knows the ins and outs of the company’s accounting software, which isn’t perfect, but it works well enough for ABC Company’s needs right now. Sharon really doesn’t make mistakes – she is fastidious in the work that she does and has a system for everything. But, even with the quality work that Sharon is doing, ABC Company knows it needs to bring someone else in to help her because there is simply too much work for one accountant to handle anymore. Plus, Sharon is getting close to retirement age, which means that they will need to bring someone in to replace her when she decides to retire in a few years to follow her dream of traveling around the country in an RV.

How does ABC Company bring in help for Sharon without offending her? How do they convey that while they are happy with the work Sharon is doing, they need redundancy in case Sharon gets sick or is out on disability leave? How does ABC Company put the right personnel in place now so that they have continuity when Sharon decides to retire? How do they hire a senior accountant or controller to help implement a new accounting system to grow with them as their needs change and evolve?
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There may not be a Sharon at every company, but every business can benefit from learning how to tactfully bring in senior accounting staff. Taking the right approach in the hiring process is crucial because it can truly mean the difference between success and failure. When done correctly, a new hire can complement and elevate your existing team. When done incorrectly, a new hire can lead to resentment and distrust, poisoning the team culture and fueling needless turnover.

At this stage, companies are feeling the limitations of their existing accounting personnel and are evaluating what their next move should be to keep the company moving forward. But knowing whether to hire a Controller or a CFO is a big decision, because, contrary to popular opinion, the roles are distinctly different.

As Kevin Briscoe, the CEO of CFO Selections, explains in nonprofit leadership podcast, “A Controller is ‘walls-in and rear-facing’ and a CFO is ‘walls-out and forward-facing’.” He goes on to explain that a controller analyzes what the company has done already while a CFO evaluates where the company is going next.

Growing up I dreamed about experiencing Mt. Rainier up close and personal. So, it is no wonder that as I came to enjoy hiking in my adulthood the idea of conquering her crept into my mind. Summiting was something I thought about for several years. However, with a limited window to attempt the climb, a very small chance of summiting and the high cost, I ultimately put that dream away.
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Then I remembered an article I read in 2008 about a group of friends who hiked around the mountain on one of the country’s most notable long-distance trails: The Wonderland Trail. This trail had stuck in my mind as a challenging way to experience Mt. Rainier that was far more feasible than summiting. So, early last year I decided to use the excuse of a milestone birthday to set out to hike the trail with three friends. Now, the Wonderland Trail is a 93-mile circumnavigation of the mountain that includes 46,000 feet of gross elevation gain/loss; a large undertaking!

The Boston Marathon. Even non-runners understand that it carries a certain prestige that other races simply don’t. But aside from its cachet in the sporting world, it held a special place in my heart.
 
As a long-time runner it had been on my bucket list for 20 years. Along with most other runners, I never managed to qualify. In fact, after trying and trying I had never even come close. I could have counted myself out and just given up. I mean, I had failed many times before and I certainly wasn’t getting any younger.
 
Something interesting happened as I got older. I actually found myself getting closer to qualifying. With age I learned more about myself – about my body, about my mindset, and about my capabilities. Along the long, hard training road I learned numerous lessons that I have applied to many different areas of my life both personally and professionally. 

​As a fan of Star Trek, one thing I like to ponder about is the concept of time dimensions. Can you be in two points of time at the same time? For many people, living in a pandemic has made the sensation of time change. Things have simultaneously seemed like they happened long ago and also only yesterday. And, at one point or another we have all thought, “It seems like it was years since I saw you. Wait, it has been years!” But time has more than just social implications. The concept of time is relevant to you professionally as well, especially as an accounting manager or a member of an accounting team.
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To have an effective accounting and finance team, an individual’s time view preference must match their job responsibility. If it is not, your accounting operations may suffer, and your company may experience unnecessary attrition. What do I mean?