Winning the Accounting Talent Battle: John Fenton

Welcome to the Accounting Influencers Podcast, going live every Monday to 150 countries and 30,000 accounting practitioners, fintech specialists and influencers in the accountancy, CPA and bookkeeping space. In this Talent Special bonus, "Winning the Accounting Talent Battle" Rob Brown features Ashley Miller, an executive coach. Ashley shares insights into leadership, team dynamics, and influence. She discusses the importance of the human element in accounting and how firms can add value by understanding what motivates their employees. Ashley also describes creating emotional connections in the workplace and inspiring employees through communication and empathy. She suggests building trust by being vulnerable and creating a sense of belonging for employees. Furthermore, Ashley notes the unique opportunity for accounting firms to expand globally by recruiting diverse individuals. She concludes by challenging leaders to be self-aware and advocate for their own careers while being accountable. You can also watch this on youtube here: https://youtu.be/jrprBPjKU_g Key Takeaways 1. Accounting firms are uniquely positioned to help businesses grow and succeed, especially during challenging times like the pandemic. Firms can expand globally and seek diverse talent to support their clients. 2. People crave human connection, even in their work lives, and accountants need to remember that clients and colleagues are people, not robots. Leaders can motivate and retain talent by understanding what motivates each individual and providing value beyond just salary. 3. Self-awareness is crucial for both leaders and team members. Leaders need to be aware of their impact on others and seek feedback to improve, while team members must advocate for their careers and take personal accountability for their actions. 4. Trust and vulnerability are essential for building relationships with colleagues and clients. People are likelier to follow leaders they trust and buy from organizations they like. Accountants can build trust and create deeper connections by being vulnerable and sharing their human side. Guest Bio Ashleigh Miller is the founder of Amplify Excellence LLC, a certified executive coach, and a business leader with over 20 years of experience in professional services organizations such as EY and Accenture. She is passionate about the human element within the business environment and empowers others by helping them realize their unique strengths as a catalyst for personal and team success. Ashleigh facilitates workshops and coaches on the art of emotional intelligence and its impact on business development, leadership skills, and team dynamics. She also serves as the President of the Board of Ballet Excel Ohio (BXO). In her free time, Ashleigh enjoys consuming hours of audiobooks and exciting podcasts, playing cards, laughing with friends, and engaging with her teenage children. ◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢ If you like the show, we'd truly appreciate a review on whatever platform you listen. We'd love to get to know you! Main show website. For access to every single show with full shownotes: https://accountinginfluencers.com/podcast For announcements of published shows, tagging guest so you can build your network and offer feedback on the show: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accountinginfluencers For videos of all podcast interviews and bonus video content: https://bit.ly/AI-youtube https://www.instagram.com/accinfluencers https://twitter.com/accinfluencers https://www.facebook.com/accountinginfluencers Thanks to our sponsors: Accountex. Accountex will return to ExCeL London UK on the 10-11 May 2023. Bringing together 250+ top fintech companies and cutting-edge start-ups, visitors can browse new software and stay up to date with the latest technology, tools and ideas in accountancy and finance. Alongside the exhibition, attendees will take away actionable tips from...