Waheed Albalushi
[a paper presented to the 1st Arab Gulf Forum for Accountants and Auditors held in Bahrain]
From distance, the stereotype about accountants is that they are the most stubborn, heartless, annoying, arrogant and many other negative words describing them…
Why do we have such an idea about them? Are they really so? If yes, why? If no, then why we hold this stereotype about them in our minds?
And most importantly, why don’t we try to change this perspective or reputation?
I think, this issue has two aspects or ways of solving? The first is related to the behavior of the accountants themselves, they should pay more attention and invest more time to understand others’ needs and way of thinking and the best ways to deal with them, we call it “communication skills”. Yes, we all need to learn how to be better communicators and accountants are no exception.
The other part of solving this problem is related to the community, Us, where we should be more friendly with accountants and get closer to them and understand the world from their perspective, or put ourselves in their shoes, we need to reach to the principle that they are normal human beings like us and they have their needs as we all do.
“When looking for a prospective accountant, remember as with all professions, communications is important. Therefore, it is important to look for an accountant that not only has the relevant technical knowledge, but also has the ability to communicate that knowledge in both technical and everyday common language.” Cynthia Johnson [full article]
To be better communicator, an accountant, as others, will need to focus on his/ her way of interaction with others.
By the nature of their profession, accountants suffer from the fact that they are a bit solo workers in closed environments with a lot of concentration which affects their social life and their communication style.
Accountants have a high ability to lead others in their environment, and have high tendency to stick to their opinion and defend it strongly where others see it stubbornness.
“It’s true that, as an accountant, you’ll spend significant time at a desk or computer, swimming in financial statements, receipts and other financial data. However, once the numbers are crunched and ledgers are balanced, that morass of financial information needs to be explained to someone, either verbally or in writing. Depending on the nature of your business or employment, you may have a great deal of personal interaction, especially if you’re a solo practitioner. Your role in a large firm may also require many forms of communication.
Accountants need to compose a variety of written communications, from simple instruction or thank you letters to clients, to formal reports of their financial conclusions. Some accountants, such as those who engage in forensic accounting – investigating crimes and other legal disputes – need to prepare legal reports and documents. Many accounting recruiters and employers emphasize the importance of writing skills, while expressing dismay at how ill-prepared accountants entering the work force are for this important communication requirement.” http://work.chron.com [full article]
So, if we agree that they are in need, as others, to be better communicators and effective members of the organizations and society, then comes the other question… How?
“Communication skills are not usually emphasized in major college accounting curriculum. Therefore, effective communication can be a challenge for many accountants in the profession. An accountant needs to have knowledge of tax and accounting rules and regulations as well as written and oral communication skills. Almost everything a professional accountant does will result in some form of written or verbal communication, either to a client, a staff member or third party. Ineffective communications reflect poorly on the accountant, their firm, and any client they represent. Effective communication skills allow an accountant to provide better service to their client.” Cynthia Johnson [full article]
Scientifically speaking, most accountants have “Linear” way of thinking, which means their brain processor works systemically through logical steps and procedure. This is not wrong or bad, we all need such kind of thinking sometimes when we need to plan or manage a project, but not all people can understand that rigid and one-liner way of thinking and approaching.
Thus, accountants need to understand how other people process things and try to communicate better with them accordingly.
In conclusion, through this brief paper, we suggest and recommend that more practical workshops to be conducted especially for accountant in the area of soft skills and communication skills in particular.
Thank you,
Waheed Al Balushi
22nd October, 2014
