beBetter 

Innovation is a key to our future success, and we can build a culture of innovation within our own teams. This 3-part series explores what it means to build a truly innovative culture at your business or firm. Make sure to read Choosing to be Open Minded, Part 1 of Building a Culture of Innovation, to understand the entire journey.

Sunday, I went to a church where my son Brandon and his family attend. CeCe was not feeling well so I was meeting Brandon, Margie and the kids there. On the way to the church, I got a text that they were not going to make it as they had been up all night with the baby. Sully (Sullivant) is four months old now and our sixth grandkid. As I sat in the parking lot realizing I barely knew anyone at this church, I started thinking about heading home. I did not have a sense of belonging and was really dreading having to meet a lot of new people or explain why I was alone visiting today. Lots of excuses go through our minds when we do not have that sense of security—our sense of belonging.  

Innovation is a key to our future success, and we can help build a culture of innovation within our own teams. This three-part series explores what it means to build a truly innovative culture at your business or firm.

Yes, I am tired of hearing about our world being transformed. I really am. I am also tired of hearing my wife, CeCe (a nickname from our grandkids), coach me on better eating habits by challenging my legacy thinking that if it’s healthy food, two or three servings will not hurt me. Does she get on my nerves at times? Yes! Has she helped me be more open minded about what it takes to eat healthier? Yes! I know that I owe her a big thanks for my progress (seven painful pounds so far) to getting healthier. I know at my age, my metabolism and body have changed, yet I want to cling to my old fun habits. My mind searches for things that support my old lifestyle and tries to stifle information that says I need to change. I realize that neither being tired of hearing about getting healthier or simply knowing about it is going to help me be any healthier. It’s time for me to be more open minded.

I was laughing uncontrollably on the back of a golf cart when this blog came to life. We were in Palmetto Bluff, SC for our annual HORNE LLP partner retreat. (By the way, this experience is bucket list material. Highly recommend a visit with a few days in a cottage facing the water—incredible views). 

Why are firms and CPAs moving so slowly to do what it takes to move from transactional/technical/compliance work to serving as an advisor that actually helps clients redefine reality and discover what’s possible in their future?

As we sat elbow-to-elbow in the tiny fellowship hall of the little rural Methodist church, enjoying a delightful selection of home cooked food, Schaeffer (a team member on our healthcare valuation team) leaned over and said, “I bet there’s already a blog idea in your head about this experience.” He was right, but I must confess, at the time I was too busy enjoying the fresh cut skillet corn and the bacon enriched butter beans—an experience that was truly reliving the tradition of “Sunday Lunch” with family and friends.

Today, it’s very common to hear people greet each other and respond to personal inquiries as, “Fine,” “I’m fine,” “We’re fine.” At the AICPA Major Firms Group meeting in July, I overheard many managing partners and COOs respond to inquiries about their firm with, “We’re fine.” For some reason, it didn’t seem as confident as it might have in the past. There were a few smiles missing. I could feel a little tension and heard a more serious tone, which caught my attention.  It was obvious to me that “We’re fine” had a different context this year. 

Teams and companies can only achieve high performance and move with the necessary speed to succeed today with high levels of trust. Trust really is the oil that keeps the engine from overheating as we floor the accelerator today. The more we understand why and when people give others trust, the better we can build trust in our teams. This includes helping us be vulnerable enough to extend trust first and giving team members the benefit of good intentions.

A few months ago at HORNE’s State of the Firm, we discovered together that most of us are swimming, wading, tiptoeing or running through the swamp of despair since we took a new direction in response to the transformation we see around us. We reviewed this insightful graphic, “The Emotional Journey of Creating Anything Great,” and each of us identified where we were on our journey. It was not pretty, big change never is.

In a moment of insanity, I agreed to go to the factory outlet mall with my wife, Cathy, on a Sunday afternoon. The reason? 1. It was raining, 2. We had been in the house for 2 days, 3. I did need some new casual dress shoes, 4. The NCAA college baseball regional that I was watching was on my ESPN app (LOVE IT), and 5. I knew she would love it (yes, this one should be higher on the list).

Some people hate to get on a treadmill because you walk or run and never arrive anywhere. Sometimes, we get on a similar treadmill in life where we chase success (as we individually define it) in order to be happy. The problem with chasing success is that the bar is constantly raised as you arrive. And the effect is that we are never happy.

Fifty-one years ago this month, Roy Ward, a young and inexperienced yet entrepreneurial-driven accountant, joined the solo practice of William F. Horne in Laurel, MS. Mr. Horne’s practice was just slightly more than three years old at the time (founded in 1962) and his office was located in a converted house at Jefferson Street. This is the moment when HORNE LLP’s journey began in earnest and where many of the core values of our Wise Firm culture were established. 

Several years ago due to severe back pain, I discovered I had a condition referred to as dysplastic spondylolisthesis which is caused by a congenital defect (present from birth). This condition has caused a narrowing of my vertebral canal in my lower back. What started as a twitch in my back, quickly put me down! Thankfully, with some rest and medication, the pain subsided and there were no surgeries recommended. I must say I am more careful today than ever on what I pick up or how I put any strain on my back. 

One small thing, if repeated daily, is not a small thing. It leads to big things and big impact. One good daily habit can be the difference in great and average. The difference in outstanding and typical. Small things are always easy to do or easy not to do.