Culture Matters: Building the Wise Firm

We’ve all heard the pros and cons of group projects. It’s a great experience if all team members bring something to the table and work well together. But, what if that isn’t the case? It’s easy for the attitude to emerge of going on standby. You know, the attitude of just standing by to see what happens next. Or waiting to see who will make the next move.  

What does the concept of WE and SERVICE mean to you? For me, this concept is foundational, it is fundamental to my purpose. At HORNE, it has become our “North Star” for the way we make decisions, always pointing us to true north. When we think about a WE and SERVICE approach, I think it can be evaluated as two main components: attitude and ownership. For me, and for our team, the importance of a positive attitude and an ownership mentality make all the difference in our journey to build the Wise Firm.

I’ve always been inspired by people who have successful careers, are at the top of their game and then throw caution to the wind by selling everything they have, cutting ties to their old life and pursuing a long-standing dream in their new-found freedom. Doesn’t simply reading those stories fill you with a sense of amazement and inspire you, even if for a brief moment? Seeing their faces when they tell their stories, with an infectious grin from ear to ear, that's the passion and all-in attitude we need in the workplace today. 

Today marks the 53^rd anniversary since the founding of HORNE. Five decades of serving clients!

When someone recently asked me what I thought Mr. Horne, Sr. would say if he could see us now, I chuckled and told her that Mr. Horne would probably have more than a few words for me! I know he would ask “What is this Wise Firm?” and “Why are we putting so much knowledge out on our website?” 

This week our team shared “Sunday Lunch” together in New Orleans for our annual HORNE Leadership Summit. We had a great time! But, we were also challenged. Holding nothing back, Executive Partner Joey Havens asked us all: “Are you ready to lead as we build the Wise Firm together?”

What an important question! And, I think we all have a better understanding now, that we each have to make the intentional choice to lead.

Last week I told you about the first four differences I’ve experienced since I’ve been at HORNE. Below, I round out the list with the last three differences and why I am choosing HORNE.

5. HORNE Values People Before Profits

The support at the HORNE business advisory firm is exceptional. The sense of belonging is encouraging and fosters an environment of positive people who feel a connection with the work they do. HORNE realizes that people are much more effective when they actually enjoy what they do.

In September of 2014, I was under the impression that just about every accounting firm was the same, except that some were just larger than others. That completely changed nine months later when I began interning at HORNE. During my internship, I have learned a lot about accounting, but I’ve also learned a lot about culture and what makes one firm different from another. In particular, I’ve learned what makes HORNE so different from other public accounting firms.

I read something that startled me recently. According to a report titled “The Future of Work,” only 29% of employees believe they can achieve their dreams where they currently work.* Even more startling, when the report removed the executives and entrepreneurs from the data, that number dropped to only 9.8% who believed they could achieve their dreams where they currently work.**

Now, let’s add perspective. Those surveyed were not “unhappy” people. Of the same exact population:

I’m a huge fan of Patrick Lencioni, author of The Advantage.

Lencioni says that businesses can no longer outsmart our competition. He says the speed of technology and knowledge will not allow us to maintain a competitive advantage from being smarter. In fact, he determines in his work that the only real, long-term advantage a company can establish is a strong culture. A powerfully engaged team.