Eyes Wide Shut.

By Wesley Middleton

​It seems to be a statement that makes no sense, in fact, quite contradictory. It is exactly how I felt after a recent conference and round table that I participated in. Imagine having a significant business issue that has existed for several years and after searching for answers, hearing best practices and trying everything you have heard, still not solving that issue. Can you see this? Isn't this "not seeing the forest for the trees"?

As a profession, CPAs have faced a significant retention problem. It has been an issue for as long as I can remember. At a recent conference, the key note speaker was simply incredible, pointing out to our profession, in no uncertain terms, that generational differences are disrupting many industries and professions and in particular, ours. What is disturbing to me is that we continue to blame this on everyone else except ourselves. For example, after this incredible keynote, I attended a Managing Partner Round Table session where this issue came up. Retention. Very high on everyone's list. We went around the room listening to many creative ideas about retention. Bonuses, deferred comp, etc. All great ideas but ones that we have proven are not sustainable. Not one time did it occur to anyone in the room that WE could be the problem. I wanted so desperately wanted to stand up on the table and shout "have you not been listening to everything being said at this conference?" But I refrained from that public spectacle. In hindsight, I regret that my fear of sounding like a bragger caused me to not speak up. We just don't have a retention problem and I believe it is because looked our ourselves and started working on US rather than THEM.

The question for this post is this, how many obstacles do you face time and time again and look for solutions that when the truth is known, you could see the problem and solution in the mirror? The answer is right in front of you and maybe you simply don't want to see or acknowledge what the solution is. (Or the problem).

In this particular instance, I know from experience that if you have a great place, a great culture and an organization that people want to be a part of, they won't leave. Size is NOT the issue. Instead of throwing money at the problem, how about considering this.....if you had a place where they wanted to be, they would not have left. Right or wrong?

When faced with recurring problems or obstacles, it may be time to stop standing with your eyes wide shut and open them to what the problem could be. You (or your organization). Consider that the issues are not with everyone else, i.e, the Millenials are NOT the problem. It is not a comfortable analysis, but one that I have found to lead to the right answer. I first consider myself as the main contributor to the problem rather than someone else. Look inside first, it usually becomes clear.

Open your eyes!

Wesley Middleton is the managing partner at MRZ LLP, a Houston, Texas-based accounting firm voted Best Place to Work by the Houston Business Journal. Wesley is the author of Violent Leadership (Forbes Books, 2017) and is represented by PumpJack Speakers Bureau. To book Wesley for your event, email Wesley.Middleton@PumpJack.me or click here.