When you get the opportunity to meet a leader, one who's been at the forefront of influencing and managing change across the whole profession because of his involvement in Xero, you grab it with both hands. It was a great honour to have welcomed Gary Turner, former UK lead at Xero, onto the Humanise The Numbers podcast to discuss growth, leading and managing change, the successful implementation of technology and how the balance between the importance of the team and the importance of clients plays out in every business, not just in accountancy firms. I'm absolutely certain you'll get something of deep and meaningful value from this discussion with Gary. Please scroll down on this episode page for contact information for Gary and for the additional, downloadable resources mentioned in this podcast. |
The Solution:
I believe that the role of the accountant, regardless of what the change means, is only going to gain importance and significance and value to the business community.
Many times, we would survey all the kinds of professionals that served the business community, and accountants were always the most trusted.
There's something about accountants that people just absolutely, innately trust to a very high degree, way more than any other professionals, and I think accountants have an amazing opportunity to broaden the scope or sphere of value that they offer.
As businesses become increasingly articulated in a more digital way, more complex, they can no longer hold stuff on spreadsheets as they did twenty or thirty years ago. Additionally, there is more regulation coming that businesses need to deal with, and compliance issues, whether that's around environmental or energy efficiencies, gender pay reporting or any number of regulatory obligations. These are all things that businesses are going to need help with.
I think the role of the accountant is only gaining importance and significance. I think the world is your oyster if you're a professional in the industry at the moment.
SHOW NOTES
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Resources relating to this podcast:
Paul and Gary talk about growth and what underpins continuous and successful growth. Gary believes that, in addition to having an outstanding product or service, customers now want the whole experience - they want end-to-end service. You might have a great product at the right price, but if your customer service is poor and your customer’s experience is not outstanding, you will not secure their loyalty.
Click the button below to read the Business Breakthrough report 'Effortless Client Care' to discover how to make your client’s experience with your firm as easy as possible, a bit like riding a bike downhill.
At the very end of the podcast Paul and Gary discuss the importance of human connection and how we have had 30+ years of disruption and revolution in the technology sector. However, this is a cyclical process that will ultimately lead back to being about people and connecting with people on a personal level.
Paul mentions Linzi Boyd, who describes herself as a serial entrepreneur and die-hard optimist. She has set up and sold 3 businesses, but business number 4, One Earth, is something very different. One Earth is about people and the power and importance of human connection. If you want to know more about Linzi, please click the button below.
Paul and Gary share their views about change - leading and managing change and the importance of structure, processes, vision and a core purpose. They discuss how these things all help your firm adapt to the ever-changing environment around you, particularly as technology and software development evolve at an ever-accelerating pace.
Change is a big issue in many firms and, if you want to introduce new systems, processes or software or want to update your technology, you have to introduce that change in such a way that your team works with, not against, you.
Leading and managing change in your firm is a skill critical to your future success, so you want to get it right.
If you stay still and do what you have always done, you will likely be left behind.
Click the button below to read the Business Breakthrough report 'Successful Change'. In this report, you will discover the three-part pattern to help you successfully manage change in your firm, as well as the importance of looking for the bright spots.
