Culture Matters: Building the Wise Firm

I started my career at HORNE back in 2010 as an administrative assistant on the firm's first-ever Texas project. So, I've really seen our work in Texas grow from inception and I've played many roles on our team during that time. Today, I am a senior manager and a member of HORNE's partner development program. But my biggest accomplishment to date has been the ability to maintain an impactful career and also build my family.

In my coaching interactions throughout the firm, I am often asked about the concept of fierce ownership. Some seem to grasp the concept intuitively, while others may struggle to come to grips with how to live out this commitment. To me, fierce ownership is showing up every day with uncommon discipline and acting on every action, opportunity or request as though you personally, literally owned your practice group, even as though you owned the firm! It is putting the needs and best interests of your clients, colleagues and the firm before your own.

Research tells us that engagement is a byproduct of four sequential factors, built on a solid foundation of clear expectations. Team members must know what is expected of them at work and have the resources to perform their jobs before they can even think about engagement.

Certainty. It’s something many of us crave, but time and time again, life proves to be uncertain. Every area of our lives produces some unknown elements. As much as we plan and prepare, the truth is uncertainty can also mean feeling insecure, unsettled, unmotivated, and at times, very disconnected from one’s purpose.

At 15 years old, I couldn’t help it. Sitting behind the wheel, equipped with a learner’s permit, my dad for an instructor, and no prior driving experience, I kept my eyes glued to the road immediately in front of my car. How else could I ensure the road was clear and I was staying in my lane? “Focus your eyes farther in front of the car,” my dad told me. “Glance in your mirrors more often.” It was scary at first, but as soon as I learned to focus farther out, my driving improved. This is external focus—the vision that provides perspective to improve results.

Business investments take place throughout all levels of a company and when you hear the words business investment you might think of items such as stocks, bonds, and dividends. Perhaps you picture shrewd business deals taking place between titans of the industry behind large, mahogany office doors. While you wouldn’t be wrong, I would like to take a moment to talk about a different type of business investment that we can all take part in no matter what our role or responsibilities. I am referring to investing in your team.

HORNE describes our Full Potential (FP) Coaching Program as a strategic investment by the firm that reinforces our commitment to our people by empowering team members to reach their Full Potential, in both their personal and professional lives. More specifically, our FP Coaches engage with team members in one-on-one sessions to discuss career aspirations, then assist with targeted goal setting and action steps designed to accelerate development and bring sharper focus to individual growth and potential. While this certainly sounded like something I wanted to sign up for, I wasn’t really sure what I was getting myself into.

Last week, I shared the first 10 takeaways for owning your career in Part 1 of this blog series. So, below are the next 10 tips to take your success into your own hands and own your career.

Taking ownership for your career is critical to your success whether you are brand new to the workforce or a seasoned veteran. As Full Potential Coach, I consistently see that people who lean in to embrace the empowerment that comes with taking the initiative to gain clarity, make choices and act on their career are more engaged and happy at work.