Ultimately, You Are Responsible

N

othing infuriates me
ward and fix your problems.
more than excuses.
Look at it this way: A fish
Nothing pleases me
rots from the head down. You
more than working with people
are the leader who must be
who accept responsibility for
responsible for making things
things that happen inside the
better at your company for
workplace — good or bad.
you, your employees and your
Don't blame an attorney, who
customers. In your role, you
files a lawsuit you authorized
have a unique opportunity to
against a vendor, when you do
Robe rt Sher
make a difference and you
not understand the risks. Don't
Col umnist
must take that opportunity
blame your accountant for an
seriously if you want to have
omission on your tax form when you file
a successful business and feel good about
your tax returns without reviewing them.
yourself and your employees.
Don't complain about the banker who
Early in my public accounting career,
arranged your line of credit when you
I learned a lesson that has helped me be
didn't read the covenants. And please don't more responsible in my business life. A
grumble about your employees not treat-
client asked me to explain his monthly
ing customers well.
financial statements I had sent to him. No
As managers and owners, you are
one had ever made such a request before
responsible for what goes on inside your
and I remember being surprised when
company. This means you do not have the
he took out a ruler, went line by line, and
right to point fingers at those who have let asked questions about each line on the
you down or expect others to come for-
statement.

I must confess that I didn't have all the
answers at that meeting. But, be assured,
I was more than prepared for the same
request the next month and was able to
answer almost every one of his questions
about the statement during our meeting.
If you had two clients — one who never
opened a statement and another who
pulled out the ruler and asked questions
line by line — which one would get better
service from you?
Knowing I had to answer for my work
and be more prepared each month for
a meeting motivated me to do a better
job for that particular client. The bottom
line: He took responsibility for getting
the best accounting advice he could and I
provided this type of service to him time
and again.
My client felt good about his accounting
practices, I was pleased about the state
of my own business affairs, and so I felt
compelled to go that extra mile for him.
Be responsible in your own company and

your employees will be more likely to stay
with you, continue learning, grow with
your company and perhaps even retire at
your company.
As responsible leaders, you must:
• Be dependable
• Be accountable for your own behavior
• Follow through on promises
• Admit mistakes
• Be trustworthy
• Follow the rules
• Not blame others
It takes great character to accept blame,
but you are the one who must be willing to
do it, at all costs. So please act responsibly.
The house of excuses is now closed.

Robert Sher, CPA, is a certified executive

coach. Formerly CFO and partner for Schostak

Brothers & Company, he now serves on the

West Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees

and is treasurer of the American Institute of

Certified Public Accountants Foundation. His

e-mail address is: info@bobshercom.

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4411110r

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September 13 • 2007

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