beBetter 

CeCe and I are settling in on the jet boat with our guide Kerry as we embark on a bucket list wilderness fishing excursion. We are on Lake Harrison in Agassiz, British Columbia, Canada, and Kerry is sharing that we have a 44-mile boat ride to reach the river we will navigate to fish in some pristine areas seldom frequented by others. Thank goodness, the winds are only 1 to 2 miles per hour and the lake is as smooth as it can be. 

I’m staring at my cell phone ringing from an unknown number on my way home from our cabin where DIRECTV has missed their second appointment with me. It’s three hours round trip so you can imagine my mindset is not exactly even-tempered. I have been talking with the DIRECTV support team and advanced resolution team all morning. And based on my experience, there’s nothing advanced about their service or capabilities. I did learn a few new excuses which I took the time to point out as they rolled each one out. 

Our front curb is a mess as I begin to pick up large pieces of concrete. We had a company cut two 36 inch slabs out so we can have some additional drainage added to handle excess water in our yard. I’m trying to salvage some of the sod so I can patch a spot in the backyard that I destroyed a few weeks ago which CeCe has not forgotten about. She is fond of a beautiful yard and I have been in the doghouse over this dead grass. 

Think about the Pilgrims in 1621 who hosted the first Thanksgiving dinner and how little they had to be thankful for compared to the many comforts we enjoy today. Thanksgiving is really a cool celebration as we step away from the fast treadmill of life to pause with family and friends to just be thankful. Giving thanks to God for our blessings and sharing our love with each other.

“Pull the trigger, Davis!” We chime in at the shooting range with my grandson Davis, who was nine at the time. As you probably know, we’re a hunting family, and the day before this happened, Davis had passed on a nice 8-point buck because he was frozen by the thought of the recoil even though he has successfully shot this gun before. His rifle is loud, but not deafening, and a great youth gun to learn gun safety with because of the size and limited recoil. So his dad, Brandon, and I took him to the shooting range trying to get him comfortable shooting again.

For the last few weeks, we have been discussing the technology-fueled disruption headed our way as part of the blog series, 5 Questions that Might Make Us #beEvenBetter. The rapid and radical transformation from this gathering storm inspired me to seek advice from some of the top leaders in our profession and, in the process, develop a routine of considering key questions regarding the future I’m charged with leading.

I literally can only see a few feet in front of us as CeCe and I are driving down to Point Clear, Alabama. We are on the way to The Grand to help host HORNE's L.E.A.D. leadership training program for 43 of our new managers and supervisors. But the rain is coming down so hard it’s like someone is pouring buckets on the windshield. 

I cut the flashers on since I am slowing to about 30 MPH. Several cars are pulling over to the side and they almost cause a pile-up as cars behind them are not seeing them fast enough. These sudden storms are nerve-racking, not unlike some of the disruption and change we are seeing in our profession.

It’s raining on Saturday afternoon and I’m really in the mood to do nothing. I’m okay with that as we all need these moments to recharge. Flipping through the channels, I pause on a bass tournament for about ten minutes but start scanning again. There’s nothing on that is drawing my interest.

Jeff Bezos and Amazon have been extremely successful in driving disruption in numerous markets. He has defined the key to that success as being a “Day 1” company — not resting on present or past success but treating each day as Day 1. This is exactly the concept we need as a partner mindset throughout our profession.

A few weeks ago, we kicked off the blog series 5 Questions that Might Make Us #beEvenBetter to address the challenges facing accounting firms today. A supercell of technology-fueled disruption is headed our way, and we must figure out how to plot safe passage through what promises to be rapid and radical transformation. 

At a recent AICPA Women's Initiatives Executive Committee (WIEC) meeting in Seattle, we had a healthy discussion on our future view and how we can move the needle faster for women and overall diversity in our profession.

Research confirms that diversity is not only one demographic marker. Instead, it is an intersection of our many different lenses and personal experiences.

CeCe and I are unloading several packages into our closet fresh off one of my two trips a year shopping for new clothes. I hate to shop, but I do like having new things.

Just as I set the packages down, CeCe looks at my side of the closet and says, “You’re going to have to get rid of some things! Some of this is stained, you never wear this, and that doesn’t fit. Do you want me to go through it for you?” “Heck no, I will do it, I promise.” If CeCe went through it, I wouldn’t have a stitch left!

It’s about 9:30 p.m. on a cloudy night when blue lights pop on in the median just as my radar detector goes off — I’m toast! I quickly pull over, grab my license, roll down my window and get my hands where the officer can see them as he walks up. Even in this moment, I am always in awe of their courage and commitment to public safety. (Knowing the routine might be a hint that I have been in this situation before, all of which are my fault.)