I remember a week in high school when several of my peers walked around wearing a letter around their necks (made out of white paper and yarn, very fancy).
They were in the same English class, reading Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlett Letter. The assignment was to spend a week wearing a letter for their own personal vice. (To my knowledge, no one had a scarlett "A.")
The most common letter was "P" for procrastination. I'm not sure if the students lacked creativity and simply used the first example the teacher gave, if they chatted amongst themselves, or if they really did all individually identify the same vice. Regardless of how it came to be, there were many folks roaming the halls sporting a P on their chests.
I think many of us CPAs do not suffer from the woes of procrastination so much as another dreaded "P" word: perfectionism. We grow up in a world of multiple choice exams and standardized tests. We spend our educations seeking "the right answer." It's no surprise, then, that we struggle with the desire to do things perfectly. After all, how else can we earn an "A"?
We like it when amounts tie out to the penny, when debits equal credits. We like things to be black and white, and can struggle with accepting the reality of the gray.
At some point, we come to realize that there isn't always a right answer, work product is never going to be perfect, and that imperfection is actually okay. We realize that the rule makers, whether Congress writing the tax code or FASB drafting GAAP, are imperfect people and organizations. (At times, we may feel overwhelmed by just how imperfect.)
If you happen to be a fellow perfectionist reading this, I dare you to go mess something up on purpose. You just might find it liberating.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
All Things at Once
The other day, I enjoyed watching Stephen Colbert's interview with Mika Brzezinski, MSNBC correspondent and author of "All Things at Once."
She discussed the issue many of us deal with, which I've posted about before: the ever-exhausting juggle of motherhood and career.
Some of the comments included...
What a great message. I've often said: There's no one right way. That sounds like common sense, but in reality, we are often told from other people or institutions that there is only one right way. The extremist messages are more dramatic, I guess.
Here's the interview!
She discussed the issue many of us deal with, which I've posted about before: the ever-exhausting juggle of motherhood and career.
Some of the comments included...
"I was trying to be a perfect wife, a perfect mother, and a perfect correspondent reporter journalist."
"Every choice has a consequence...I don't think there's a right answer, but I think every choice has a consequence.
"I wasn't doing anything right because I was trying to do everything too much."
"I think you can have successful parenting being at home or working. But if you want to work, you need to go to work and you need to focus, and that needs to be okay too."
What a great message. I've often said: There's no one right way. That sounds like common sense, but in reality, we are often told from other people or institutions that there is only one right way. The extremist messages are more dramatic, I guess.
Here's the interview!
The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Mika Brzezinski | ||||
| ||||
Monday, January 25, 2010
The Seven Deadly Myths of Accounting
I just read an interesting post from AccountingElf Kel about the "The Seven Deadly Myths of Accounting," written by accounting professor Dr. Pava.
The myths are...
1. “Learning accounting is like learning the rules of a game.”
2. “I’m good at math, so I’ll be good at accounting.”
3. “There is such a thing as the bottom line.”
4. “Accounting is a ‘thing apart.’ Understanding other disciplines is a waste of precious time.”
5. “All decisions are based on the cost-benefit criterion. If not, they should be!”
6. “God gave GAAP.”
7. “I’ll learn what I really need to know when I get my first job.”
My thoughts on two of the myths...
2. "I'm good at math, so I'll be good at accounting."
A classic misconception! My younger brother held this myth, and planned to be an accounting major. When he took Accounting 200, however, he learned that accounting has very little to do with math. Fortunately, I was a tutor in the accounting lab that semester, so I was able to help him study. He survived the class, never to return to accounting again!
4. “Accounting is a ‘thing apart.’ Understanding other disciplines is a waste of precious time.”
Guilty. Until recently, I honestly did not want to be bothered with information that was not accounting or business related. Numbers ruled. It was all about the puzzle, figuring out where the different pieces fit into the financial statements or the tax return.
About a year ago, I realized I needed to be good at more than just accounting to be successful. This was a somewhat terrifying discovery, since accounting is what I'm best at. Slowly but surely, I'm learning about other essential subjects, like management and marketing.
In the end, it does all come down to people: the people you work with and the people who pay you to provide service. Unfortunately, we don't learn much about people in our accounting education. Sure, they make us work in a group claiming that's how it will be in the real world, but that's not exactly an education in management.
I'm glad I've finally recognized the need to learn the "other stuff," even though it would have been nice to know sooner. My advice to accounting students and staff -- make an effort to learn the management/people side at the same time that you are learning the accounting. If you do, you'll be light years ahead of your peers, and maybe even your managers.
The myths are...
1. “Learning accounting is like learning the rules of a game.”
2. “I’m good at math, so I’ll be good at accounting.”
3. “There is such a thing as the bottom line.”
4. “Accounting is a ‘thing apart.’ Understanding other disciplines is a waste of precious time.”
5. “All decisions are based on the cost-benefit criterion. If not, they should be!”
6. “God gave GAAP.”
7. “I’ll learn what I really need to know when I get my first job.”
My thoughts on two of the myths...
2. "I'm good at math, so I'll be good at accounting."
A classic misconception! My younger brother held this myth, and planned to be an accounting major. When he took Accounting 200, however, he learned that accounting has very little to do with math. Fortunately, I was a tutor in the accounting lab that semester, so I was able to help him study. He survived the class, never to return to accounting again!
4. “Accounting is a ‘thing apart.’ Understanding other disciplines is a waste of precious time.”
Guilty. Until recently, I honestly did not want to be bothered with information that was not accounting or business related. Numbers ruled. It was all about the puzzle, figuring out where the different pieces fit into the financial statements or the tax return.
About a year ago, I realized I needed to be good at more than just accounting to be successful. This was a somewhat terrifying discovery, since accounting is what I'm best at. Slowly but surely, I'm learning about other essential subjects, like management and marketing.
In the end, it does all come down to people: the people you work with and the people who pay you to provide service. Unfortunately, we don't learn much about people in our accounting education. Sure, they make us work in a group claiming that's how it will be in the real world, but that's not exactly an education in management.
I'm glad I've finally recognized the need to learn the "other stuff," even though it would have been nice to know sooner. My advice to accounting students and staff -- make an effort to learn the management/people side at the same time that you are learning the accounting. If you do, you'll be light years ahead of your peers, and maybe even your managers.
Friday, January 15, 2010
The tough choices
As I often observe, time is the most scarce of a person's resources. (Rita Keller shared an interesting post on this topic last month.)
Over the past few weeks, I have fallen behind in even skimming the headlines of the 1000+ contents from my of my 168 subscriptions in Google Reader. With tax season barreling down on me, I've finally admitted to myself that I won't be able to keep up. So much interesting content, so little time!
Today, I created a separate folder in Reader for "Daily Reads," which also shows up as its own list on the right of this blog. It was very hard to come up with such a short list.
Some blogs not on the list are fantastic reads that require a lot of my mental horsepower to follow, and I hope to make more time this summer to summon the brainpower to read them daily. These include the tax and legal experts at such blogs as ataxingmatter, Mauled Again, and TaxProf.
Other blogs not on the list are great reads about the world of finance and accounting, which I hope to revisit with a vengeance after April 15 when I am not required to only live and breathe tax. Some of these include BookMarkLee, The Exuberant Accountant, Jr Deputy Accountant, and many, many others.
So my "Daily Reads" are not a review (though of course I recommend them all), but simply the list of what I think a tax manager like me will religiously follow when time is short.
What are your "can't miss" blogs?
Over the past few weeks, I have fallen behind in even skimming the headlines of the 1000+ contents from my of my 168 subscriptions in Google Reader. With tax season barreling down on me, I've finally admitted to myself that I won't be able to keep up. So much interesting content, so little time!
Today, I created a separate folder in Reader for "Daily Reads," which also shows up as its own list on the right of this blog. It was very hard to come up with such a short list.
Some blogs not on the list are fantastic reads that require a lot of my mental horsepower to follow, and I hope to make more time this summer to summon the brainpower to read them daily. These include the tax and legal experts at such blogs as ataxingmatter, Mauled Again, and TaxProf.
Other blogs not on the list are great reads about the world of finance and accounting, which I hope to revisit with a vengeance after April 15 when I am not required to only live and breathe tax. Some of these include BookMarkLee, The Exuberant Accountant, Jr Deputy Accountant, and many, many others.
So my "Daily Reads" are not a review (though of course I recommend them all), but simply the list of what I think a tax manager like me will religiously follow when time is short.
What are your "can't miss" blogs?
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Are you sure?
As I started catching up on the past couple weeks in the blogosphere, I was pleasantly surprised -- well, shocked -- to see my blog was honored with a spot on Biz-Learner's list of Top 50 Blogs for Accountants. I'm honored!
Considering the caliber of others on the list, my immediate thought was: are you sure I should make the list? Some of my favorite blogs on the list include:
Thanks Biz-learner for the mention. Hopefully I can come up with some quality content now.
Considering the caliber of others on the list, my immediate thought was: are you sure I should make the list? Some of my favorite blogs on the list include:
- Accounting Tomorrow
- CPA Technology Blog
- CPA Trendlines
- MauledAgain
- Our Taxing Times
- Possibilities for CPA Firm Leaders
- Tax Update Blog
- Tax Girl
- Taxable Talk
- The Wandering Tax Pro
Thanks Biz-learner for the mention. Hopefully I can come up with some quality content now.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Back in Action
After a fun and desperately-needed vacation, I'm back in action. Well, as much as a CPA can be considered "in action."
While on vacation, I watched a few episodes of the new TV show Glee. (How we survived before DVRs, I cannot imagine.) The show is entertaining, even if it does reinforce my dread of my daughter's pending high school years.
Like most shows, Glee reinforces some common Hollywood myths about life. One of these: the myth that minimal preparation can yield amazing results.
I admit there have been and are some great, unplanned moments in life. Many of science's great discoveries were unexpected. Nonetheless, I believe most successes are the result of time and effort.
The scene I'm thinking of in Glee is a football team's dance performance in the middle of the field. If my memory serves right (a debatable assumption), they practiced for a week before this performance. (The clip is below.)
I'm no dance expert, but I'm pretty sure it would be impossible for a bunch of football dance novices to manage that routine in a week. It makes for fun television. Unfortunately, the downside to kids growing up watching the fake world of TV is that many then balk at the idea of real work and responsibility. (What, I can't work at a coffee shop and have a swank New York apartment? But Rachel did it!)
I'm glad it's not my job to teach reality to anyone but my own kids. Hmmm...if only there were a quick and easy answer for accomplishing that...
While on vacation, I watched a few episodes of the new TV show Glee. (How we survived before DVRs, I cannot imagine.) The show is entertaining, even if it does reinforce my dread of my daughter's pending high school years.
Like most shows, Glee reinforces some common Hollywood myths about life. One of these: the myth that minimal preparation can yield amazing results.
I admit there have been and are some great, unplanned moments in life. Many of science's great discoveries were unexpected. Nonetheless, I believe most successes are the result of time and effort.
The scene I'm thinking of in Glee is a football team's dance performance in the middle of the field. If my memory serves right (a debatable assumption), they practiced for a week before this performance. (The clip is below.)
I'm no dance expert, but I'm pretty sure it would be impossible for a bunch of football dance novices to manage that routine in a week. It makes for fun television. Unfortunately, the downside to kids growing up watching the fake world of TV is that many then balk at the idea of real work and responsibility. (What, I can't work at a coffee shop and have a swank New York apartment? But Rachel did it!)
I'm glad it's not my job to teach reality to anyone but my own kids. Hmmm...if only there were a quick and easy answer for accomplishing that...
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
I quit!
Sometimes I quit. And that's okay.
I first figured out that truth several years ago, in high school. My freshman year, I was elated when I made the varsity soccer team. Soon, however, soccer stopped being fun. Not because it was hard work, not because it was competitive, but because the coach was jerk. He was downright abusive. If he were a coach today, I'm betting he'd get sued.
I played on the team my freshman and sophomore years. Near the end of my sophomore year, I wondered why I was sticking around. I determined the costs of the team far outweighed the benefits, and made the decision not to go back my junior year. I never regretted that decision. I'll never forget talking with a former teammate our senior year, who said: "Yeah, I figure I just have to do this year, since I've gone this far. It isn't at all fun, though."
How often do we allow ourselves to get stuck? Last week I posted about having passion, or lack of, for one's work. Rita Keller shared a great comment:
Indeed, life is too short to spend most (or all) of it feeling trapped.
One of the many books on my to-read list include Seth Godin's The Dip. In summarizing the book, he says:
I haven't done a lot of quitting in my life, but am glad that I know it's okay to quit if I'm at a dead end. Sometimes it's the best thing I can do.
I first figured out that truth several years ago, in high school. My freshman year, I was elated when I made the varsity soccer team. Soon, however, soccer stopped being fun. Not because it was hard work, not because it was competitive, but because the coach was jerk. He was downright abusive. If he were a coach today, I'm betting he'd get sued.
I played on the team my freshman and sophomore years. Near the end of my sophomore year, I wondered why I was sticking around. I determined the costs of the team far outweighed the benefits, and made the decision not to go back my junior year. I never regretted that decision. I'll never forget talking with a former teammate our senior year, who said: "Yeah, I figure I just have to do this year, since I've gone this far. It isn't at all fun, though."
How often do we allow ourselves to get stuck? Last week I posted about having passion, or lack of, for one's work. Rita Keller shared a great comment:
I am a firm believer in the power of passion for what you do. Joseph Campbell called it "following your bliss." Too bad we all can't identify our bliss (or passion) and then be able to follow it. I think too many people simply feel trapped in a job or career. My hope is they will one day break free.
Indeed, life is too short to spend most (or all) of it feeling trapped.
One of the many books on my to-read list include Seth Godin's The Dip. In summarizing the book, he says:
The old saying is wrong-winners do quit, and quitters do win.
Every new project (or job, or hobby, or company) starts out exciting and fun. Then it gets harder and less fun, until it hits a low point-really hard, and not much fun at all.
And then you find yourself asking if the goal is even worth the hassle. Maybe you're in a Dip-a temporary setback that will get better if you keep pushing. But maybe it's really a Cul-de-Sac, which will never get better, no matter how hard you try.
What really sets superstars apart from everyone else is the ability to escape dead ends quickly, while staying focused and motivated when it really counts.
Winners quit fast, quit often, and quit without guilt-until they commit to beating the right Dip for the right reasons. In fact, winners seek out the Dip. They realize that the bigger the barrier, the bigger the reward for getting past it. If you can become number one in your niche, you'll get more than your fair share of profits, glory, and long-term security.
Losers, on the other hand, fall into two basic traps. Either they fail to stick out the Dip-they get to the moment of truth and then give up-or they never even find the right Dip to conquer.
Whether you're a graphic designer, a sales rep, an athlete, or an aspiring CEO, this fun little book will help you figure out if you're in a Dip that's worthy of your time, effort, and talents. If you are, The Dip will inspire you to hang tough. If not, it will help you find the courage to quit-so you can be number one at something else.
I haven't done a lot of quitting in my life, but am glad that I know it's okay to quit if I'm at a dead end. Sometimes it's the best thing I can do.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Sad to watch
While at Wal-mart this morning, I stumbled upon the staff's morning meeting back in the auto section. Being obsessed with the concepts of management as I am, I could not help but eavesdrop while picking up my items. (Okay, maybe I could have helped myself, and just opted not to.)
After the manager said it was time to get started, the group said the following in unison:
It was the most lackluster, monotone "cheer" I've ever heard. It was honestly painful to watch. I couldn't stay another minute.
I pondered the obvious lack of enthusiasm, and thought about the challenge managers face of helping people feel excited about their work. It's not easy to inspire people, but I believe it can be done, whether at Wal-mart or in public accounting. I think the most important factor is that the leaders have the passion themselves, or they aren't going to get anywhere.
Fortunately, even though I may be lacking a lot of things, passion is not one of them!
I pondered the obvious lack of enthusiasm, and thought about the challenge managers face of helping people feel excited about their work. It's not easy to inspire people, but I believe it can be done, whether at Wal-mart or in public accounting. I think the most important factor is that the leaders have the passion themselves, or they aren't going to get anywhere.
Fortunately, even though I may be lacking a lot of things, passion is not one of them!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
I love technology
Much like Kip in Napoleon Dynamite, I love technology.
I went to the BMV yesterday (Ohio's version of the DMV) to renew my license. Upon arrival I discovered I needed proof of my address, and none on the documents I had with me would suffice. What to do, what to do? I walked a couple buildings down to the library, got online, and printed up a bank statement. The entire detour took me less than ten minutes, and I am happy to report I remain a licensed driver.
It's hard to remember what was life like before the Internet, e-mail, and cell phones. I love living in the 21st century. A few of the many things I love about technology include...
I went to the BMV yesterday (Ohio's version of the DMV) to renew my license. Upon arrival I discovered I needed proof of my address, and none on the documents I had with me would suffice. What to do, what to do? I walked a couple buildings down to the library, got online, and printed up a bank statement. The entire detour took me less than ten minutes, and I am happy to report I remain a licensed driver.
It's hard to remember what was life like before the Internet, e-mail, and cell phones. I love living in the 21st century. A few of the many things I love about technology include...
- Ability to work remotely
- Tax preparation software!
- Immediate access to information (Google)
- Breakdown of the geographical barriers to connecting with people (Blogger, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn)
- Increased (even if just barely) transparency in government and business
- Mapquest - this is huge for a military family
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Tick tock
Five months after starting it, I finally finished RAPT: Attention and the Focused Life. And yes, I recognize the irony in taking five months to finish a book about focus.
I enjoyed the book, especially its very logical, scientific approach to the concept of attention. The book's premise is entirely accurate, which is basically this:
When I discover people who are wildly successful in their chosen endeavors, whether professional or personal, I often marvel at how much they accomplish in 24 hours a day. I wonder if I have missed a trick that somehow lengthens the day. The fact remains that each of us has the same amount of time each day. What matters is how we use it.
Hopefully, the time you just spent reading my blog didn't feel like a complete waste!
I enjoyed the book, especially its very logical, scientific approach to the concept of attention. The book's premise is entirely accurate, which is basically this:
Where the qualify of your life is concerned, focus is not everything, but it is a great deal. The question is: If all the world's a stage, as Shakespeare puts it, where do you shine the spotlight of your attention?As I've observed previously, we make choices every day as to how we spend our limited resources of time and attention. Are we proactive in making these choices, or do we merely react, and then curse the consequences? Who calls the shots?
When I discover people who are wildly successful in their chosen endeavors, whether professional or personal, I often marvel at how much they accomplish in 24 hours a day. I wonder if I have missed a trick that somehow lengthens the day. The fact remains that each of us has the same amount of time each day. What matters is how we use it.
Hopefully, the time you just spent reading my blog didn't feel like a complete waste!
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