The Secret to Being an Effective Accounting Leader

​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.

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​Don’t believe us? Our Recruiting Services Leaders Quinn Finnigan and Joss Stokke recently interviewed Alex de Soto for their Hiring Smarter podcast. Alex is a CFO Recruiter with CFO Selections, so he was offering his expert tips on how to hire better for executive leadership roles in accounting and finance. What did he say is the single most important trait that a CFO needs to succeed? Drawing on his experience from placing hundreds of CFOs for mid-market companies he responded, “It’s the ability to be a good listener at all levels where they interact.” If Alex feels this is a key criterion for executive leaders to succeed, surely it applies to senior-level and mid-level leadership roles across accounting and finance as well.

So, we can say confidently from our experience and his that one of the most important things to look for is something that you wouldn’t expect – good listening skills!

Why is listening well a key skill that all accounting and finance leaders should have? Someone that listens well will be able to gain the perspective needed to lead their team well through challenges, execute well on strategic initiatives to achieve business goals, and communicate well with the leadership team and other stakeholders.

Listening is the foundational building block of leading through uncertainty, aligning a team around business goals, executing plans strategically, adapting to changing market conditions, and communicating results internally and externally.
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So much has come to light over the years about the benefits of finding a good culture fit or add, and being a good listener is certainly part of looking for the right fit. As Perry Paden explains,

When I’m evaluating a candidate on whether to submit them to a client, I want to be confident that the person can succeed, be valued, and make an impact on a client’s organization. Often clients want to provide the resources and tools to help employees get better at their jobs, but I tell clients all the time, ‘You can’t teach someone to align with your cultural values.’ Getting clients to focus on finding and fostering a cultural fit is every bit as important as seeking and developing a good technical match.

​When you need to hire an accountant, we can help! Our accounting recruiters can help you find your next accounting leader – someone that not only has the financial experience but also the communication skills needed to succeed in the role. We will draw on our vast network of professional connections to find an accountant that fits your needs. Contact us today to find out more and get your questions answered!