FOCUS on leadership
the director of life plan for 27 years, he is also an ordained minister and a licensed nursing home from Oklahoma State in theological studies from
H
ave you ever stopped to think about the direction your life is headed? Even in the hectic world of public accounting, this
thought has likely crossed your mind at some point during your professional career. A familiar proverb states, “If you stand for nothing, you’ll fall for anything.” If you’re still figuring out what you stand for, I recommend creating a personal mission statement. Some of the greatest leaders I know regularly take time to reflect on where they have been, where they are and where they are going, both personally and professionally. Whatever your aspirations, a personal mission statement can help you do just that. Tis type of guiding principle can help you accomplish your goals and chart a course for success for the future you. A personal mission statement can assist you in measuring progress toward what matters most while also uncovering areas that may need more focused attention. It can be a grounding force, helping you avoid distractions that pull your valuable time away from priorities. If you don’t yet have a personal mission statement, it’s easy to create, and I want to help you do it.
A personal mission statement should be easy to
remember and guide your daily decisions. My six- word mission statement is simply to “passionately serve God, family, seniors, community.” Since seven is a perfect number, I often add a last word that varies based on a particular season of life or a current challenge or opportunity to help further refine the statement. Tis short-and-sweet mission has shaped my entire professional life. Troughout my career, choosing organizations with a mission and leadership philosophy that align with my own has been an important consideration. While strong alignment is not always possible, finding it can make your career and work-life balance more fulfilling. I have found the greatest personal satisfaction and effectiveness when my personal mission, the organization’s written and unwritten mission and the leadership dynamic harmoniously converge to define and support my position and duties.
18 CPAFOCUS July/August 2020 Shortly after I first joined BKD CPAs &
Advisors, I noticed no CPA firms were serving senior living organizations in a substantial way throughout Oklahoma, so I started learning the industry and building a senior living practice at BKD. Finding mentors, both inside and outside the firm, became important to my initial learning and development. I recall one mentor who had little knowledge of the senior living industry but was willing to be my advocate and encouraged me to further my specialized industry knowledge. Tis led me to attend seminars on improving revenue in senior living organizations and then to pursue accreditation as a licensed nursing home administrator, all while working full time in public accounting. Tis outside-the-box thinking even involved four months volunteering mornings at a nursing home and working my “day job” in the afternoons and evenings. I am so grateful for personal mentors who advocated on my behalf to further my personal mission. I became a partner at BKD within nine years because of the firm’s investment in me and I now want to pay these contributions forward to others. As a partner at a public accounting firm but still guided by my unwavering personal mission, I began pursuing a master’s degree in theological studies. Te degree program consisted of 18 hours a weekend, one weekend a month, 10 months a year, for three years. With such a rigorous study schedule, in addition to my normal work schedule and duties, maintaining a clear focus on my personal mission statement empowered me to avoid unnecessary distractions and prioritize what mattered most. Eventually, I realized I wanted to serve seniors
directly. Tis led to a career change that ultimately included serving in roles at a national therapy company and as the executive director/chief executive officer of retirement communities. My personal mission statement was vital in helping me discern when and where to make these important career changes. Similarly, it has guided my decisions concerning family as well, helping me remain present with loved ones throughout
(SUCCESS, page 25)
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