Culture Matters: Building the Wise Firm

“Never miss a free throw; they are free.” I heard my coach’s words as I stood on the line at the end of my high school career. Feet staggered, just about shoulder length apart. The ref threw me the ball. I bent my knees, bounced it three times, down and up and follow through - swish, nothing but net. The ref threw me the ball for the second shot. Down and up and follow through and swish, sunk it again.

I think I can...I think I can...I think I can. These are infamous words from a childhood story we all know well. The purpose of the story is to build up self-confidence in young children so they won’t give up when times get hard. This same principle can and should be applied to adults as well.

At HORNE, we don’t have “bosses,” we have Performance Advisors (PA). The PA role is designed to help accelerate our development through ongoing conversations that are timely, honest, constructive and transparent. We also have 2nd PAs, if we so desire, who serve as an additional perspective in the same capacity. Having a 2nd PA willing to invest in my development has always been valuable to me.

In my three years at HORNE, I have been encouraged and empowered by my relationships with my PAs. I use my voice to help shape my career, and we work together to set goals that are measurable and practical. My PAs assess my performance and progress along these goals, and so do I. We discuss and align our perspectives as needed, and I gain a solid view of where I am in my career, where I’d like to be, and where I can improve.

My PAs recently helped me uncover one major area for improvement – that is my need to be more willing to share the workload and delegate effectively.

Knowing that I had a desire to grow in the area of business development, we started by assessing new responsibilities I had assumed in that area. We quickly identified a concern of sustainability – could I keep managing my original responsibilities and the new without becoming overloaded? I admitted my reluctance to ask for help because I don’t like being a burden on others, but we explored the cost of me not choosing to grow in this area. Costs like seeing decreased performance, burning out, denying others a chance to use their talents and strengths or to learn new skills, and the increased frustration they may feel as a result.

My PAs challenged me with candor and compassion to replace my concerns of being a burden with more productive thoughts, to resist the urge to do something myself rather than delegate or teach someone how to do it. They challenged me to keep the bigger picture in mind, continue having conversations, and practice. I have a long way to grow in this area, but I will keep at it.

To all PAs, my challenge to you is to continue renewing your enthusiasm and commitment to bringing HORNE’s Continuous Growth Philosophy to life with your team members. Know them – help identify their strengths and area of passion. Focus them – be clear about performance and expected results. Engage them – build relationships, connect to the Wise Firm culture, help them understand the “how” not just the “what.”

Team members working with a PA, remember both of you are accountable for ensuring development-focused conversations about you take place and take place in the manner they are designed. I challenge you to be honest, transparent and willing to receive feedback. And remember, it’s what YOU do with that feedback that will make the difference in your career.

For many people, the phrase “More Than Teeth” does not immediately bring much to mind. This could be due to an intense fear that represses all memories associated with your dentist, but most likely it is because you have not had the pleasure of meeting my dentist. Various members of my family have been practicing dentistry for over 50 years, and that phrase is one of my father’s favorite ways to describe his vision for service.

To most HORNE team members in other locations, I am that loud Noo Yaww-ker from Lawn-guy-land that buzzes through greeting all at a decibel intended to be heard over a passing subway train. I tawwk loud and fast and will say, "Waz up" to anyone I encounter. I don’t drink caw-fee, but love a good bay-gle—which, by the way, you can’t get in the south. Fuhgeddaboudit!