LEADERSHIP

The Post-Audit Debrief Most Teams Get Wrong

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Why most debriefs fail to change the next audit—and how to turn them into real design inputs

By William Englehaupt

As one audit cycle closes and the next begins, most teams go through some form of debrief. In theory, this is where learning happens, where teams step back, reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and carry those insights forward.

In practice, it rarely works that way.

Debriefs are often rushed or treated as closure rather than input. The questions are familiar—what went well, what didn’t—but the discussion stays at the surface. Late nights, difficult clients, tight deadlines. The symptoms are easy to identify. The underlying causes are not. READ MORE →

Peter McCarroll: Rethink the Ladder | MOVE Like This

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AI changes how pros gain experience, forcing teams to reinvent leadership development.

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Optimize Profits, Delight Clients, & Build a Top-Value Firm!

MOVE Like This
With Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk
For CPA Trendlines Research

Artificial intelligence has dominated conversations throughout the accounting profession, but much of the discussion remains focused on efficiency. In this episode of MOVE Like This, Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk sits down with Peter McCarroll, founder of The AI Accountant and partner at Fuel Accountants, to explore a much bigger question: How will AI reshape careers, leadership, and the future of accounting firms?

MORE MOVE Like This | MORE CPA Trendlines Streaming Network

McCarroll argues that many firms are looking at AI through too narrow a lens. While automating routine work will certainly improve productivity, efficiency alone will not be enough to remain competitive. Firms that thrive will use AI to strengthen strategic thinking, develop new services, deepen client relationships, and create additional value rather than simply reducing costs. Waiting for technology to stabilize or treating AI as just another software implementation may leave firms behind as change accelerates over the next few years. READ MORE →

True Grit: Recognizing Struggles That Shape Our Successes | ARC

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The ARC team spills their messiest moments and why grit—not perfection—matters most. 

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Accounting ARC
With Byron Patrick, Liz Mason, and Donny Shimamoto
Center for Accounting Transformation

More ARC: Analysis, Reaction, Comedy

In the latest episode of Accounting ARC, hosts Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA; Liz Mason, CPA; and Byron Patrick, CPA.CITP, CGMA, lay down their professional armor to explore one central theme: grit—what it means, when it matters, and how it shows up in real life. 

MORE Accounting ARC: More Admins, Fewer Students, No Plan | What Career Advice Gets Wrong for Gen Z – And How to Fix It |Your Identity is Not a Liability | What Happens in Vegas… Gets Reported on a Tax Return | Burnout, Be Gone: Accounting Needs a Boundary Breakthrough | The Ultimate Business Hack You’re Probably Ignoring | Resilience, Real Talk, and the Road to Mental Wellness | Blockchain Could Still Reshape Accounting | What Gen Z Wants from Business | Firm Differentiation Depends Upon Client Service |

“This episode was about being honest,” says Patrick, CEO of VERIFYiQ and co-founder of TB Academy. “There are moments in everyone’s career where it all feels like too much.”  READ MORE →

How Accounting Leaders Build Influence Without a Big Four Resume | Accounting Influencers

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…And the 8 emerging leadership paths that can help you rise to the top…


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Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown

In the world of accounting, influence is no longer the exclusive domain of Big Four alumni or Ivy League pedigrees. Each December, Accounting Today releases its Top 100 Most Influential People list, highlighting leaders who shape the profession. The surprising truth behind many of these selections? Over 70% started from modest beginnings, without elite credentials, but with a clear strategy for building career capital.

In a recent episode of the Accounting Influencers Podcast, host Rob Brown delves into the evolving landscape of leadership in accounting. “This isn’t about popularity or vanity metrics,” Brown says. “It’s about curating influence—the kind that drives innovation, fosters relevance, and moves the profession forward.”

READ MORE →

The Feedback Mistake That Costs You Your Best People | ARC

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Intent, tone and delivery matter just as much as the message itself. 

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Originally published Feb. 5, 2026
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Accounting ARC
With Liz Mason, Byron Patrick, and Donny Shimamoto
Center for Accounting Transformation

Build a 7-figure firm in just 4 hours a week!

One poorly handled conversation can undo months—or years—of trust. In this episode of Accounting ARC, Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA, Byron Patrick, CPA.CITP, and Liz Mason, CPA, unpack why difficult feedback often fails, how leaders can communicate with greater intention, and what separates constructive coaching from conversations that send employees looking for another job.

The conversation starts with a story familiar to anyone who has ever hovered over the “Send” button on a difficult message.

MORE Accounting ARC: Is Your Boss Really the Problem? | Most Accountants Are Missing This AI Shift | AI Can Fix Your Workflow—or Break It in Seconds | Efficiency Is the Wrong Goal for AI | Accounting’s Hidden Talent Risk: The Sandwich Generation | Built Fast. Sold Faster. Broken Later? The Truth About Accounting Tech | Recognize When You Need to Recharge Before You Burn Out | Valuing More Than the Balance Sheet | Accounting’s “Untalked-About” Frontier | Why Happiness is Hard-Fought for High Achievers | The Fastest Way to Lose Talent Is “Dick Leadership” | Post-Holiday Fatigue Isn’t a Failure; It’s a Signal | OCR, Research Bots & Meeting Assistants: What Actually Helps Now | Return Season is the New Stress Test | Small Firms May Have the Biggest Advantage in 2026 | Downgraded: What the DOE Said About Accounting |

Mason, founder and CEO of High Rock Accounting, recalls proposing a conference talk with a deliberately provocative title — a reminder that most professionals feel the tension between holding the line and keeping the peace. The point, she says, is not to sanitize reality. It is to learn how to hold people accountable without turning it into a personal attack.

READ MORE →