For me proactivity doesn’t happen by accident. You must make time for it. The best thing you can do to be a proactive accountant that is valuable is to make sure you aren’t a reactive accountant first. I’ve listed 3 ways I use to make sure I’m not stuck in the reactive zone:
- I think about how often my clients need me to be involved in their business – and make regular time for them. I try to lock that in with calendar appointments and reminders.
- I keep a clean inbox – if I have more than 10 emails, I feel I’m getting behind and not being responsive enough. If I ever got a week behind in my emails I’m definitely stuck in the reactive zone.
- I make sure my team and systems are top notch so that I’m not fighting unnecessary fires. I can’t help clients move forward if I’m permanently behind on my own day to day.
So, while I aim to be a ‘proactive accountant’ to clients, the first thing I do is make sure I’m not being a ‘reactive accountant.’ I do this with careful planning and running a tight ship. Clients feel supported, and I know things don’t slip through the cracks because I got too busy to be ‘proactive.’