The Do’s and Don’ts for a Happy Accounting Office

The knack of feedback doesn’t always come naturally.

By Rick Telberg

If the finance and accounting people in your office work together like a well-oiled machine, then consider yourself lucky.

Let me suggest you take them all out to lunch and raise a toast to their attitudes … Because without their skills and goodwill, you are no longer working in a firm or company. You are a solo practitioner.

Even if you’re not working in a traditional command-and-control hierarchical organization, you are, in the end, a professional. And you work with fellow professionals. Understanding how to trade feedback honestly, openly and without rancor is an essential ingredient to your successful work life.

Personnel who fall short on skills can usually be brought up to speed. All it takes is a little coaching and training.

But personnel who fall short on attitude are a big problem. You need to talk with them, and you need to do it the right way. While a few words might suffice for the wise, you need carefully chosen words for the attitudinally challenged.