Latest / Advisory Secrets with Deb Halliday / Escaping the Technician Trap: Transforming Accountants into Trusted Advisors

Transcript

Escaping the Technician Trap: Transforming Accountants into Trusted Advisors · Advisory Secrets with Deb Halliday

• 0:00
  Foreign.
• 0:09
  Welcome
• 0:10
  to
• 0:10
  Advisory
• 0:11
  Secrets
• 0:11
  with
• 0:12
  Deb
• 0:12
  Halliday,
• 0:13
  the
• 0:13
  podcast
• 0:13
  for
• 0:14
  accountants
• 0:14
  and
• 0:14
  bookkeepers
• 0:15
  who
• 0:15
  are
• 0:16
  ready
• 0:16
  to
• 0:16
  move
• 0:16
  beyond
• 0:17
  compliance
• 0:17
  work
• 0:18
  and
• 0:18
  step
• 0:19
  confidently
• 0:19
  into
• 0:20
  advisory.
• 0:21
  If
• 0:21
  you
• 0:22
  ever
• 0:22
  felt
• 0:22
  there
• 0:22
  must
• 0:23
  be
• 0:23
  more
• 0:23
  to
• 0:23
  your
• 0:23
  role
• 0:24
  than
• 0:24
  year
• 0:24
  end
• 0:25
  accounts,
• 0:25
  tax
• 0:25
  returns
• 0:26
  and
• 0:26
  deadlines,
• 0:27
  you're
• 0:28
  right.
• 0:28
  In
• 0:29
  this
• 0:29
  podcast,
• 0:30
  I'll
• 0:30
  share
• 0:30
  the
• 0:31
  strategies,
• 0:32
  insights
• 0:33
  and
• 0:33
  real
• 0:33
  world
• 0:34
  lessons
• 0:34
  that
• 0:35
  help
• 0:36
  accounting
• 0:37
  professionals
• 0:38
  transition
• 0:39
  from
• 0:39
  technician
• 0:40
  to
• 0:40
  trusted
• 0:41
  advisor.
• 0:42
  We'll
• 0:42
  explore
• 0:42
  how
• 0:42
  to
• 0:43
  lead
• 0:43
  better
• 0:43
  financial
• 0:44
  conversations
• 0:44
  and
• 0:44
  deliver
• 0:45
  real
• 0:45
  value
• 0:46
  to
• 0:46
  clients.
• 0:46
  I'm
• 0:47
  Deb
• 0:47
  Halliday,
• 0:48
  author
• 0:48
  and
• 0:48
  creator
• 0:49
  of
• 0:49
  training
• 0:49
  programs
• 0:50
  for
• 0:50
  accounting
• 0:51
  professionals,
• 0:51
  and
• 0:52
  this
• 0:52
  is
• 0:52
  Advisory
• 0:52
  Secrets.
• 0:53
  Foreign.
• 0:59
  Today
• 0:59
  we're
• 1:00
  talking
• 1:00
  about
• 1:00
  one
• 1:00
  of
• 1:01
  the
• 1:01
  biggest
• 1:01
  barriers
• 1:02
  preventing
• 1:03
  accountants
• 1:03
  and
• 1:04
  bookkeepers
• 1:05
  from
• 1:05
  becoming
• 1:06
  successful
• 1:07
  advisors.
• 1:08
  And
• 1:08
  surprisingly,
• 1:09
  it
• 1:09
  isn't
• 1:10
  knowledge,
• 1:10
  it
• 1:11
  isn't
• 1:11
  qualifications,
• 1:12
  it
• 1:12
  isn't
• 1:13
  experience,
• 1:13
  and
• 1:13
  it's
• 1:14
  something
• 1:14
  much
• 1:14
  more
• 1:14
  subtle.
• 1:15
  It's
• 1:16
  what
• 1:16
  we
• 1:16
  call
• 1:16
  the
• 1:16
  technician
• 1:17
  trap.
• 1:18
  Now,
• 1:18
  if
• 1:18
  you've
• 1:19
  ever
• 1:19
  felt
• 1:19
  like
• 1:19
  you're
• 1:20
  working
• 1:20
  incredibly
• 1:20
  hard,
• 1:21
  your
• 1:21
  diary
• 1:22
  is
• 1:22
  full,
• 1:23
  your
• 1:23
  clients
• 1:24
  constantly
• 1:24
  need
• 1:24
  you,
• 1:25
  and
• 1:25
  yet
• 1:25
  you're
• 1:26
  struggling
• 1:26
  to
• 1:26
  create
• 1:27
  the
• 1:27
  time
• 1:27
  and
• 1:27
  space
• 1:28
  for
• 1:28
  higher
• 1:29
  value
• 1:29
  conversations.
• 1:30
  This
• 1:31
  episode
• 1:31
  is
• 1:31
  for
• 1:32
  you.
• 1:32
  Because
• 1:32
  the
• 1:33
  reality
• 1:33
  is,
• 1:34
  most
• 1:34
  professionals
• 1:35
  don't
• 1:35
  fail
• 1:35
  to
• 1:36
  become
• 1:36
  advisors
• 1:37
  because
• 1:37
  they
• 1:37
  lack
• 1:38
  capability.
• 1:39
  They
• 1:39
  fail
• 1:40
  because
• 1:40
  they're
• 1:41
  trapped
• 1:41
  in
• 1:41
  a
• 1:41
  system
• 1:42
  that
• 1:42
  keeps
• 1:43
  pulling
• 1:43
  them
• 1:43
  back
• 1:44
  into
• 1:45
  technical
• 1:46
  delivery.
• 1:47
  And
• 1:47
  until
• 1:47
  that
• 1:47
  changes,
• 1:48
  advisory
• 1:49
  will
• 1:49
  always
• 1:49
  feel
• 1:50
  just
• 1:50
  out
• 1:50
  of
• 1:51
  reach.
• 1:53
  The
• 1:53
  Profession
• 1:54
  Trains
• 1:55
  Us
• 1:55
  to
• 1:55
  become
• 1:55
  Technicians
• 1:58
  let's
• 1:58
  start
• 1:58
  with
• 1:59
  an
• 1:59
  important
• 1:59
  truth.
• 2:00
  The
• 2:00
  accounting
• 2:00
  profession
• 2:01
  is
• 2:01
  exceptionally
• 2:02
  good
• 2:02
  at
• 2:03
  creating
• 2:03
  technicians.
• 2:05
  From
• 2:05
  the
• 2:05
  moment
• 2:05
  we
• 2:05
  begin
• 2:06
  training,
• 2:06
  we're
• 2:07
  taught
• 2:07
  to
• 2:07
  focus
• 2:07
  on
• 2:08
  accuracy.
• 2:09
  We're
• 2:09
  taught
• 2:09
  to
• 2:09
  get
• 2:10
  things
• 2:10
  right.
• 2:11
  We're
• 2:11
  taught
• 2:11
  to
• 2:12
  follow
• 2:13
  processes,
• 2:14
  meet
• 2:14
  deadlines,
• 2:15
  understand
• 2:15
  regulations
• 2:17
  and
• 2:17
  ensure
• 2:17
  compliance.
• 2:18
  All
• 2:19
  of
• 2:19
  those
• 2:19
  things
• 2:19
  are
• 2:19
  important.
• 2:20
  In
• 2:21
  fact,
• 2:21
  they're
• 2:21
  essential.
• 2:23
  But
• 2:23
  over
• 2:23
  time,
• 2:24
  something
• 2:24
  happens.
• 2:25
  We
• 2:25
  begin
• 2:26
  to
• 2:27
  define
• 2:27
  our
• 2:27
  value
• 2:28
  by
• 2:29
  the
• 2:29
  tasks
• 2:29
  we
• 2:30
  complete
• 2:31
  rather
• 2:31
  than
• 2:31
  the
• 2:31
  outcomes
• 2:32
  we
• 2:32
  create.
• 2:33
  We
• 2:34
  become
• 2:34
  experts
• 2:35
  at
• 2:35
  producing
• 2:36
  information,
• 2:37
  but
• 2:38
  we
• 2:39
  spend
• 2:39
  less
• 2:39
  time
• 2:39
  helping
• 2:40
  clients
• 2:42
  understand
• 2:42
  what
• 2:42
  that
• 2:43
  information
• 2:43
  means.
• 2:45
  And
• 2:45
  before
• 2:45
  we
• 2:45
  know
• 2:46
  it,
• 2:46
  our
• 2:46
  entire
• 2:47
  working
• 2:47
  life
• 2:47
  becomes
• 2:48
  centred
• 2:48
  around
• 2:48
  delivery
• 2:49
  accounts,
• 2:50
  tax
• 2:50
  returns,
• 2:51
  payroll,
• 2:51
  VAT
• 2:52
  returns,
• 2:53
  year
• 2:53
  end
• 2:53
  deadlines,
• 2:54
  one
• 2:54
  after
• 2:55
  another,
• 2:55
  month
• 2:56
  after
• 2:56
  month,
• 2:56
  year
• 2:57
  after
• 2:57
  year.
• 2:57
  What's
• 2:58
  interesting
• 2:58
  is
• 2:59
  that
• 2:59
  nobody
• 3:00
  consciously
• 3:01
  chooses
• 3:01
  to
• 3:01
  become
• 3:02
  trapped.
• 3:02
  It
• 3:03
  happens
• 3:03
  gradually.
• 3:04
  A
• 3:04
  new
• 3:04
  client
• 3:05
  arrives,
• 3:06
  another
• 3:06
  deadline
• 3:07
  appears,
• 3:07
  a
• 3:08
  team
• 3:08
  member
• 3:08
  needs
• 3:08
  support.
• 3:09
  A
• 3:09
  client
• 3:10
  has
• 3:10
  a
• 3:10
  question,
• 3:10
  then
• 3:11
  another
• 3:11
  question,
• 3:12
  then
• 3:12
  another.
• 3:12
  And
• 3:13
  because
• 3:13
  we're
• 3:13
  service
• 3:13
  focused
• 3:14
  people,
• 3:14
  we
• 3:14
  answer.
• 3:15
  We
• 3:15
  help,
• 3:16
  we
• 3:16
  support,
• 3:17
  we
• 3:17
  solve.
• 3:19
  But
• 3:19
  every
• 3:19
  time
• 3:20
  we
• 3:20
  do
• 3:20
  that,
• 3:20
  we
• 3:20
  reinforce
• 3:21
  a
• 3:21
  behavior.
• 3:22
  We
• 3:22
  train
• 3:23
  people
• 3:23
  to
• 3:23
  come
• 3:23
  to
• 3:23
  us
• 3:24
  for
• 3:24
  everything.
• 3:24
  Eventually,
• 3:25
  we
• 3:26
  become
• 3:26
  the
• 3:27
  central
• 3:27
  hub
• 3:28
  for
• 3:29
  every
• 3:29
  answer,
• 3:29
  every
• 3:30
  decision
• 3:30
  and
• 3:30
  every
• 3:31
  problem.
• 3:31
  At
• 3:32
  first,
• 3:32
  this
• 3:32
  feels
• 3:32
  positive.
• 3:34
  Clients
• 3:34
  love
• 3:34
  us,
• 3:35
  the
• 3:35
  team
• 3:35
  depends
• 3:36
  on
• 3:36
  us.
• 3:36
  Everything
• 3:37
  seems
• 3:37
  under
• 3:37
  control.
• 3:38
  But
• 3:38
  slowly
• 3:39
  we
• 3:39
  begin
• 3:39
  to
• 3:40
  realise
• 3:40
  something.
• 3:41
  We've
• 3:41
  become
• 3:41
  indispensable.
• 3:43
  And
• 3:43
  whilst
• 3:43
  that
• 3:44
  sounds
• 3:44
  flattering,
• 3:45
  it's
• 3:45
  actually
• 3:46
  dangerous,
• 3:47
  because
• 3:47
  indispensable
• 3:48
  often
• 3:49
  means
• 3:49
  trapped.
• 3:52
  The
• 3:52
  cost
• 3:53
  of
• 3:53
  being
• 3:53
  the
• 3:53
  answer
• 3:54
  person
• 3:57
  One
• 3:57
  of
• 3:57
  the
• 3:57
  biggest
• 3:57
  symptoms
• 3:58
  of
• 3:58
  the
• 3:59
  technician
• 3:59
  trap
• 3:59
  is
• 4:00
  is
• 4:00
  constantly
• 4:01
  being
• 4:01
  interrupted.
• 4:02
  You
• 4:02
  start
• 4:03
  the
• 4:03
  day
• 4:03
  with
• 4:04
  a
• 4:04
  plan.
• 4:04
  Then
• 4:05
  a
• 4:05
  client
• 4:05
  emails,
• 4:06
  a
• 4:06
  team
• 4:06
  member
• 4:07
  calls,
• 4:07
  a
• 4:08
  question
• 4:08
  arrives.
• 4:09
  Something
• 4:09
  needs
• 4:09
  reviewing,
• 4:10
  something
• 4:10
  needs
• 4:11
  approving,
• 4:11
  something
• 4:12
  needs
• 4:12
  explaining,
• 4:13
  and
• 4:13
  before
• 4:13
  lunchtime,
• 4:14
  your
• 4:15
  carefully
• 4:16
  planned
• 4:16
  day
• 4:17
  has
• 4:17
  disappeared.
• 4:18
  The
• 4:18
  problem
• 4:18
  isn't
• 4:19
  the
• 4:19
  individual
• 4:19
  questions.
• 4:21
  The
• 4:21
  problem
• 4:21
  is
• 4:21
  what
• 4:21
  they
• 4:22
  prevent.
• 4:22
  They
• 4:22
  prevent
• 4:23
  thinking.
• 4:24
  And
• 4:24
  advisory
• 4:25
  requires
• 4:26
  thinking,
• 4:27
  not
• 4:27
  reacting,
• 4:28
  not
• 4:28
  responding.
• 4:29
  Thinking.
• 4:29
  Advisory
• 4:30
  requires
• 4:31
  space
• 4:31
  to
• 4:31
  analyze
• 4:32
  patterns,
• 4:33
  space
• 4:33
  to
• 4:33
  reflect,
• 4:34
  space
• 4:34
  to
• 4:34
  identify
• 4:35
  opportunities,
• 4:36
  space
• 4:36
  to
• 4:37
  ask
• 4:37
  better
• 4:37
  questions.
• 4:38
  And
• 4:39
  if
• 4:39
  every
• 4:39
  minute
• 4:39
  of
• 4:40
  your
• 4:40
  day
• 4:40
  is
• 4:41
  consumed
• 4:41
  by
• 4:42
  technical
• 4:43
  delivery
• 4:44
  and
• 4:44
  constant
• 4:44
  interruptions,
• 4:45
  there
• 4:46
  is
• 4:46
  no
• 4:46
  room
• 4:46
  left
• 4:47
  for
• 4:47
  that
• 4:47
  work.
• 4:50
  The
• 4:50
  difference
• 4:50
  between
• 4:51
  being
• 4:51
  busy
• 4:52
  and
• 4:52
  being
• 4:52
  valuable.
• 4:55
  This
• 4:55
  is
• 4:55
  where
• 4:55
  many
• 4:55
  professionals
• 4:56
  get
• 4:56
  stuck.
• 4:57
  They
• 4:57
  confuse
• 4:58
  busyness
• 4:58
  with
• 4:58
  value.
• 4:59
  The
• 5:00
  diary
• 5:00
  is
• 5:00
  full,
• 5:01
  the
• 5:01
  inbox
• 5:01
  is
• 5:01
  full,
• 5:02
  the
• 5:02
  task
• 5:02
  list
• 5:03
  is
• 5:03
  full.
• 5:03
  Therefore,
• 5:04
  they
• 5:04
  assume
• 5:04
  they
• 5:05
  must
• 5:05
  be
• 5:05
  creating
• 5:06
  value.
• 5:06
  But
• 5:06
  value
• 5:07
  isn't
• 5:07
  measured
• 5:07
  by
• 5:08
  activity.
• 5:09
  Value
• 5:09
  is
• 5:09
  measured
• 5:10
  by
• 5:10
  impact.
• 5:11
  Think
• 5:11
  about
• 5:11
  your
• 5:12
  most
• 5:12
  valuable
• 5:13
  client
• 5:14
  conversations.
• 5:15
  They
• 5:15
  probably
• 5:16
  weren't
• 5:16
  the
• 5:16
  conversations
• 5:17
  where
• 5:17
  you
• 5:17
  explained
• 5:18
  a
• 5:18
  VAT
• 5:19
  rule.
• 5:20
  They
• 5:20
  probably
• 5:21
  weren't
• 5:21
  the
• 5:21
  conversations
• 5:22
  where
• 5:22
  you
• 5:22
  answered
• 5:22
  a
• 5:22
  technical
• 5:23
  question.
• 5:24
  They
• 5:24
  were
• 5:24
  the
• 5:24
  conversations
• 5:25
  where
• 5:25
  you
• 5:25
  helped
• 5:26
  someone
• 5:26
  make
• 5:26
  a
• 5:26
  better
• 5:26
  decision,
• 5:28
  where
• 5:28
  you
• 5:28
  helped
• 5:28
  them
• 5:29
  avoid
• 5:29
  a
• 5:29
  mistake,
• 5:30
  where
• 5:31
  you
• 5:31
  helped
• 5:31
  them
• 5:31
  see
• 5:31
  something
• 5:32
  they
• 5:32
  couldn't
• 5:32
  see
• 5:33
  themselves.
• 5:34
  Those
• 5:34
  are
• 5:34
  advisory
• 5:35
  conversations
• 5:36
  and
• 5:36
  they
• 5:36
  often
• 5:36
  create
• 5:37
  more
• 5:37
  value
• 5:37
  than
• 5:38
  dozens
• 5:38
  of
• 5:38
  technical
• 5:40
  interactions
• 5:41
  combined.
• 5:43
  The
• 5:43
  education
• 5:44
  problem
• 5:46
  One
• 5:46
  of
• 5:46
  the
• 5:46
  biggest
• 5:46
  discoveries
• 5:47
  we
• 5:47
  made
• 5:47
  was
• 5:48
  recognizing
• 5:49
  that
• 5:49
  many
• 5:49
  client
• 5:49
  questions
• 5:50
  are
• 5:50
  educational
• 5:51
  rather
• 5:52
  than
• 5:52
  advisory.
• 5:53
  Questions
• 5:53
  like
• 5:53
  what
• 5:54
  expenses
• 5:54
  can
• 5:54
  I
• 5:55
  claim?
• 5:56
  How
• 5:57
  does
• 5:57
  VAT
• 5:58
  work?
• 5:59
  What
• 5:59
  records
• 5:59
  do
• 6:00
  I
• 6:00
  need
• 6:00
  to
• 6:00
  keep?
• 6:01
  These
• 6:01
  are
• 6:01
  important
• 6:01
  questions,
• 6:02
  but
• 6:02
  they
• 6:02
  are
• 6:03
  educational.
• 6:04
  The
• 6:04
  answer
• 6:05
  is
• 6:05
  largely
• 6:05
  the
• 6:05
  same
• 6:06
  every
• 6:06
  time,
• 6:07
  yet
• 6:08
  many
• 6:08
  firms
• 6:08
  answer
• 6:09
  them
• 6:09
  repeatedly,
• 6:11
  day
• 6:11
  after
• 6:12
  day,
• 6:12
  week
• 6:13
  after
• 6:13
  week,
• 6:13
  year
• 6:14
  after
• 6:14
  year.
• 6:14
  Imagine
• 6:15
  if
• 6:15
  a
• 6:15
  teacher
• 6:15
  had
• 6:16
  to
• 6:16
  individually
• 6:17
  explain
• 6:17
  the
• 6:17
  same
• 6:18
  lesson
• 6:18
  to
• 6:18
  every
• 6:18
  student
• 6:19
  every
• 6:19
  day.
• 6:20
  It
• 6:20
  would
• 6:20
  be
• 6:20
  impossible.
• 6:21
  And
• 6:21
  yet
• 6:22
  that's
• 6:22
  exactly
• 6:22
  what
• 6:23
  many
• 6:23
  firms
• 6:23
  do.
• 6:24
  The
• 6:24
  result?
• 6:24
  The
• 6:25
  owner
• 6:25
  becomes
• 6:25
  overwhelmed,
• 6:26
  the
• 6:27
  team
• 6:27
  becomes
• 6:27
  reactive,
• 6:28
  and
• 6:28
  advisory
• 6:29
  never
• 6:29
  gets
• 6:30
  developed.
• 6:31
  One
• 6:31
  of
• 6:32
  the
• 6:32
  most
• 6:32
  important
• 6:32
  distinctions
• 6:33
  we
• 6:34
  teach
• 6:34
  is
• 6:35
  the
• 6:35
  difference
• 6:35
  between
• 6:36
  education
• 6:37
  and
• 6:38
  advisory.
• 6:40
  Education
• 6:41
  is
• 6:41
  standardised,
• 6:42
  advisory
• 6:42
  is
• 6:43
  personalised.
• 6:43
  Education
• 6:44
  answers
• 6:45
  questions,
• 6:46
  advisory
• 6:46
  guides
• 6:47
  decisions,
• 6:47
  education
• 6:48
  explains
• 6:49
  rules,
• 6:49
  advisory
• 6:50
  explores
• 6:50
  options.
• 6:51
  Education
• 6:51
  tells
• 6:52
  someone
• 6:52
  what
• 6:52
  they
• 6:53
  need
• 6:53
  to
• 6:53
  know.
• 6:53
  Advisory
• 6:54
  helps
• 6:54
  them
• 6:54
  decide
• 6:55
  what
• 6:55
  they
• 6:55
  should
• 6:55
  do
• 6:56
  next.
• 6:56
  The
• 6:57
  problem
• 6:57
  is
• 6:57
  many
• 6:58
  firms
• 6:58
  blur
• 6:59
  these
• 6:59
  boundaries.
• 7:00
  Everything
• 7:01
  becomes
• 7:01
  advisory.
• 7:02
  Everything.
• 7:02
  Everything
• 7:03
  becomes
• 7:03
  urgent.
• 7:04
  Everything
• 7:04
  lands
• 7:04
  on
• 7:05
  the
• 7:05
  owner's
• 7:05
  desk
• 7:06
  and
• 7:06
  eventually
• 7:07
  the
• 7:07
  business
• 7:08
  becomes
• 7:08
  unsustainable.
• 7:10
  Why
• 7:11
  creating
• 7:12
  space
• 7:13
  comes
• 7:13
  first
• 7:16
  One
• 7:16
  of
• 7:16
  the
• 7:16
  biggest
• 7:17
  myths
• 7:17
  about
• 7:17
  advisory
• 7:18
  is
• 7:18
  that
• 7:18
  you
• 7:19
  need
• 7:19
  more
• 7:19
  knowledge
• 7:19
  before
• 7:19
  you
• 7:20
  can
• 7:20
  start.
• 7:21
  In
• 7:21
  reality,
• 7:22
  most
• 7:22
  accountants
• 7:23
  and
• 7:24
  bookkeepers
• 7:24
  already
• 7:25
  know
• 7:25
  enough.
• 7:26
  What
• 7:26
  they
• 7:26
  lack
• 7:27
  is
• 7:27
  space.
• 7:28
  Space
• 7:29
  to
• 7:29
  think,
• 7:30
  space
• 7:30
  to
• 7:30
  prepare,
• 7:32
  space
• 7:32
  to
• 7:32
  have
• 7:33
  meaningful
• 7:33
  conversations,
• 7:35
  space
• 7:35
  to
• 7:36
  step
• 7:36
  out
• 7:36
  of
• 7:36
  delivery
• 7:37
  mode.
• 7:38
  That's
• 7:39
  why
• 7:39
  advisory
• 7:39
  doesn't
• 7:40
  begin
• 7:40
  with
• 7:40
  learning
• 7:41
  more.
• 7:41
  It
• 7:41
  begins
• 7:42
  with
• 7:42
  creating
• 7:43
  capacity.
• 7:43
  Because
• 7:44
  if
• 7:44
  your
• 7:44
  calendar
• 7:45
  is
• 7:46
  completely
• 7:47
  full
• 7:48
  of
• 7:48
  technical
• 7:49
  work,
• 7:49
  there
• 7:49
  is
• 7:50
  nowhere
• 7:50
  for
• 7:50
  advisory
• 7:51
  to
• 7:51
  live.
• 7:53
  The
• 7:54
  shift
• 7:55
  that
• 7:55
  changes
• 7:55
  Everything
• 7:58
  the
• 7:58
  turning
• 7:58
  point
• 7:59
  often
• 7:59
  happens
• 7:59
  when
• 8:00
  professionals
• 8:00
  realize
• 8:01
  they
• 8:01
  don't
• 8:01
  need
• 8:01
  to
• 8:01
  answer
• 8:02
  every
• 8:02
  question.
• 8:02
  Personally,
• 8:03
  this
• 8:03
  can
• 8:03
  feel
• 8:03
  uncomfortable
• 8:04
  at
• 8:04
  first,
• 8:05
  because
• 8:05
  many
• 8:06
  of
• 8:06
  us
• 8:06
  built
• 8:06
  our
• 8:06
  careers
• 8:07
  around
• 8:07
  being
• 8:07
  helpful.
• 8:08
  But
• 8:09
  being
• 8:09
  helpful
• 8:09
  doesn't
• 8:10
  mean
• 8:10
  being
• 8:11
  available
• 8:11
  for
• 8:12
  everything.
• 8:12
  Sometimes
• 8:13
  being
• 8:13
  helpful
• 8:14
  means
• 8:14
  creating
• 8:15
  systems
• 8:15
  that
• 8:16
  allow
• 8:16
  people
• 8:16
  to
• 8:16
  find
• 8:17
  answers
• 8:17
  without
• 8:18
  needing
• 8:18
  you.
• 8:19
  That's
• 8:19
  when
• 8:19
  something
• 8:20
  remarkable
• 8:20
  happens.
• 8:21
  The
• 8:21
  quality
• 8:21
  of
• 8:22
  conversations
• 8:23
  starts
• 8:23
  to
• 8:23
  improve.
• 8:24
  Clients
• 8:25
  stop
• 8:25
  asking,
• 8:25
  what
• 8:26
  can
• 8:26
  I
• 8:26
  claim?
• 8:27
  And
• 8:28
  start
• 8:28
  asking,
• 8:29
  how
• 8:29
  do
• 8:29
  I
• 8:29
  improve
• 8:30
  profitability?
• 8:32
  They
• 8:32
  stop
• 8:33
  asking,
• 8:33
  how
• 8:34
  does
• 8:34
  VAT
• 8:35
  work?
• 8:36
  And
• 8:37
  start
• 8:37
  asking,
• 8:38
  should
• 8:38
  I
• 8:38
  be
• 8:39
  restructuring
• 8:40
  the
• 8:40
  business?
• 8:42
  The
• 8:43
  conversations
• 8:43
  become
• 8:43
  strategic,
• 8:44
  the
• 8:45
  relationship
• 8:45
  becomes
• 8:46
  deeper,
• 8:46
  and
• 8:46
  advisory
• 8:47
  finally
• 8:47
  has
• 8:48
  room
• 8:48
  to
• 8:48
  grow.
• 8:50
  My
• 8:50
  experience
• 8:52
  for
• 8:52
  me
• 8:52
  personally,
• 8:53
  one
• 8:53
  of
• 8:53
  the
• 8:53
  biggest
• 8:54
  shifts
• 8:54
  came
• 8:54
  when
• 8:55
  I
• 8:55
  stopped
• 8:55
  focusing
• 8:56
  purely
• 8:56
  on
• 8:56
  what
• 8:56
  needed
• 8:57
  to
• 8:57
  be
• 8:57
  reported
• 8:58
  and
• 8:58
  started
• 8:58
  focusing
• 8:59
  on
• 8:59
  what
• 8:59
  clients
• 9:00
  were
• 9:00
  actually
• 9:00
  trying
• 9:01
  to
• 9:01
  achieve.
• 9:02
  The
• 9:02
  moment
• 9:02
  I
• 9:02
  started
• 9:03
  asking
• 9:03
  questions
• 9:03
  about
• 9:04
  their
• 9:05
  goals,
• 9:05
  their
• 9:05
  ambitions,
• 9:06
  and
• 9:06
  what
• 9:07
  success
• 9:07
  looked
• 9:08
  like
• 9:08
  for
• 9:08
  them,
• 9:08
  everything
• 9:09
  changed.
• 9:10
  The
• 9:10
  conversations
• 9:11
  became
• 9:11
  richer,
• 9:12
  clients
• 9:12
  became
• 9:13
  more
• 9:13
  engaged,
• 9:14
  and
• 9:14
  advisories
• 9:15
  started
• 9:15
  to
• 9:16
  happen
• 9:16
  naturally.
• 9:17
  Not
• 9:17
  because
• 9:17
  I
• 9:17
  was
• 9:17
  selling
• 9:18
  it,
• 9:18
  but
• 9:19
  because
• 9:19
  the
• 9:19
  conversation
• 9:20
  had
• 9:20
  evolved
• 9:21
  beyond
• 9:21
  compliance.
• 9:23
  What
• 9:23
  firms
• 9:24
  get
• 9:24
  wrong?
• 9:26
  The
• 9:26
  biggest
• 9:26
  mistake
• 9:27
  firms
• 9:27
  make
• 9:27
  is
• 9:27
  trying
• 9:28
  to
• 9:28
  add
• 9:28
  advisory
• 9:29
  on
• 9:29
  top
• 9:29
  of
• 9:29
  an
• 9:29
  already
• 9:30
  overloaded
• 9:30
  workload.
• 9:31
  They
• 9:31
  think
• 9:32
  I'll
• 9:32
  just
• 9:32
  squeeze
• 9:33
  advisory
• 9:33
  into
• 9:34
  the
• 9:34
  gaps.
• 9:35
  But
• 9:36
  there
• 9:36
  are
• 9:36
  no
• 9:36
  gaps.
• 9:37
  That's
• 9:37
  the
• 9:37
  problem.
• 9:38
  If
• 9:38
  you
• 9:38
  don't
• 9:39
  intentionally
• 9:39
  create
• 9:40
  space,
• 9:41
  advisory
• 9:42
  will
• 9:42
  never
• 9:42
  become
• 9:43
  a
• 9:43
  meaningful
• 9:44
  part
• 9:45
  of
• 9:45
  the
• 9:45
  business.
• 9:46
  It
• 9:46
  will
• 9:46
  remain
• 9:47
  something
• 9:47
  you
• 9:48
  talk
• 9:48
  about,
• 9:49
  something
• 9:49
  you
• 9:49
  want
• 9:49
  to
• 9:49
  do,
• 9:50
  something
• 9:50
  you
• 9:50
  plan
• 9:51
  to
• 9:51
  do
• 9:51
  one
• 9:51
  day
• 9:52
  but
• 9:52
  never
• 9:52
  fully
• 9:53
  implement.
• 9:54
  The
• 9:54
  real
• 9:55
  opportunity
• 9:57
  the
• 9:57
  opportunity
• 9:58
  isn't
• 9:58
  simply
• 9:59
  becoming
• 9:59
  an
• 9:59
  advisor.
• 10:00
  The
• 10:00
  opportunity
• 10:01
  is
• 10:01
  escaping
• 10:02
  the
• 10:02
  technician
• 10:03
  mindset
• 10:03
  altogether.
• 10:04
  It's
• 10:04
  moving
• 10:05
  from
• 10:05
  being
• 10:05
  the
• 10:05
  person
• 10:06
  who
• 10:06
  processes
• 10:06
  information
• 10:08
  to
• 10:09
  becoming
• 10:10
  the
• 10:10
  person
• 10:10
  who
• 10:11
  interprets
• 10:11
  information,
• 10:12
  the
• 10:12
  person
• 10:12
  who
• 10:13
  sees
• 10:13
  patterns,
• 10:14
  the
• 10:14
  person
• 10:14
  who
• 10:15
  guides
• 10:15
  decisions,
• 10:16
  the
• 10:16
  person
• 10:17
  who
• 10:17
  helps
• 10:17
  clients
• 10:18
  move
• 10:18
  forward.
• 10:19
  And
• 10:19
  once
• 10:19
  that
• 10:20
  shift
• 10:20
  happens,
• 10:21
  the
• 10:21
  entire
• 10:22
  nature
• 10:22
  of
• 10:22
  your
• 10:22
  work
• 10:23
  changes.
• 10:24
  The
• 10:24
  conversations
• 10:25
  become
• 10:25
  more
• 10:26
  meaningful,
• 10:27
  the
• 10:27
  relationship
• 10:27
  becomes
• 10:28
  stronger,
• 10:28
  and
• 10:29
  the
• 10:29
  impact
• 10:29
  you
• 10:29
  have
• 10:29
  on
• 10:30
  clients
• 10:30
  increases
• 10:31
  dramatically.
• 10:33
  Final
• 10:33
  Thoughts
• 10:35
  the
• 10:35
  technician
• 10:36
  trap
• 10:36
  isn't
• 10:36
  about
• 10:37
  capability.
• 10:37
  It's
• 10:38
  about
• 10:38
  structure.
• 10:39
  Most
• 10:39
  accountants
• 10:40
  and
• 10:40
  bookkeepers
• 10:41
  already
• 10:41
  have
• 10:41
  the
• 10:41
  knowledge
• 10:42
  they
• 10:42
  need.
• 10:42
  The
• 10:42
  challenge
• 10:43
  is
• 10:43
  creating
• 10:44
  an
• 10:44
  environment
• 10:45
  where
• 10:46
  that
• 10:46
  knowledge
• 10:46
  can
• 10:47
  be
• 10:47
  used
• 10:47
  differently,
• 10:48
  where
• 10:48
  there
• 10:49
  is
• 10:49
  time
• 10:49
  for
• 10:49
  strategic
• 10:50
  thinking,
• 10:51
  time
• 10:51
  for
• 10:51
  better
• 10:51
  conversations.
• 10:52
  And
• 10:53
  time
• 10:53
  to
• 10:53
  step
• 10:53
  into
• 10:53
  the
• 10:54
  role
• 10:54
  of
• 10:54
  advisor.
• 10:55
  Because
• 10:55
  advisory
• 10:56
  doesn't
• 10:56
  begin
• 10:56
  when
• 10:57
  you
• 10:57
  learn
• 10:57
  more,
• 10:58
  it
• 10:58
  begins
• 10:59
  when
• 10:59
  you
• 10:59
  create
• 10:59
  space
• 11:00
  to
• 11:00
  use
• 11:01
  what
• 11:01
  you
• 11:01
  already
• 11:01
  know.
• 11:02
  If
• 11:02
  today's
• 11:02
  episode
• 11:03
  resonated
• 11:03
  with
• 11:04
  you,
• 11:04
  we'd
• 11:04
  love
• 11:04
  to
• 11:05
  invite
• 11:05
  you
• 11:05
  to
• 11:05
  join
• 11:05
  our
• 11:05
  Facebook
• 11:06
  Community
• 11:06
  Advisory
• 11:07
  Teams.
• 11:08
  It's
• 11:08
  a
• 11:08
  growing
• 11:09
  community
• 11:09
  of
• 11:10
  accountants,
• 11:11
  bookkeepers
• 11:12
  and
• 11:12
  advisory
• 11:13
  professionals
• 11:13
  who
• 11:14
  are
• 11:14
  working
• 11:14
  to
• 11:14
  move
• 11:15
  beyond
• 11:15
  compliance,
• 11:16
  build
• 11:16
  stronger
• 11:17
  client
• 11:17
  relationships
• 11:18
  and
• 11:18
  create
• 11:19
  firms
• 11:20
  that
• 11:20
  don't
• 11:20
  depend
• 11:21
  entirely
• 11:22
  on
• 11:23
  them.
• 11:23
  Search
• 11:24
  advisory
• 11:24
  teams
• 11:25
  on
• 11:25
  Facebook
• 11:25
  and
• 11:25
  come
• 11:26
  join
• 11:26
  the
• 11:26
  conversation.
• 11:27
  And
• 11:27
  if
• 11:27
  you've
• 11:27
  enjoyed
• 11:28
  this
• 11:28
  episode,
• 11:29
  make
• 11:29
  sure
• 11:29
  you
• 11:29
  subscribe
• 11:30
  so
• 11:30
  you
• 11:30
  don't
• 11:30
  miss
• 11:31
  the
• 11:31
  next
• 11:31
  one.
• 11:31
  Thanks
• 11:32
  for
• 11:32
  listening.
• 11:38
  Foreign.
• 11:42
  Thank
• 11:43
  you
• 11:43
  for
• 11:43
  listening
• 11:43
  to
• 11:44
  Advisory
• 11:44
  Secrets
• 11:45
  with
• 11:45
  Deb
• 11:45
  Halliday.
• 11:46
  If
• 11:46
  you
• 11:47
  enjoyed
• 11:47
  this
• 11:47
  episode,
• 11:48
  make
• 11:48
  sure
• 11:48
  you
• 11:48
  follow
• 11:49
  the
• 11:49
  podcast
• 11:50
  so
• 11:50
  you
• 11:50
  don't
• 11:50
  miss
• 11:51
  future
• 11:51
  insights
• 11:52
  on
• 11:53
  building
• 11:53
  your
• 11:53
  advisory
• 11:54
  role.
• 11:55
  For
• 11:55
  more
• 11:55
  resources,
• 11:56
  training
• 11:56
  and
• 11:57
  support
• 11:58
  for
• 11:58
  accounting
• 11:59
  professionals
• 11:59
  stepping
• 12:00
  into
• 12:00
  advisory,
• 12:01
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