Be inspired by staring at the wall

We are very insular as a profession. Conversations tend to revolve around what is happening within the profession, what the latest developments and trends are, and yet there is a whole world out there that is creating new ideas, trends and thoughts that could help us as accountants to be more successful if only we were to look over the fence.

Part of my role as a mentor and coach to accountants is to keep looking over the fence at what the rest of the world is doing. I get much of my inspiration from doing so.

Those of you who know me will know what’s coming next!

Every year, at this time of year, I draw inspiration from one of my favourite programmes, Australian MasterChef. The differences between the tried and tested formula that is the UK original on the BBC and the Australian version mirror the differences that I seek to help accounting firms achieve. One is solid, reliable, okay in all that it does whilst the other is exciting, challenging, inspirational, delivering awesome chefs out of home cooks.

I recommend you watch it to see what I mean.

An example comes from a recent episode from Australia. The contestants number around 16 at this point. They walk into the trendy warehouse style kitchen that is the main set to be faced by a gigantic wall screen.

As they stare at the screen writing starts to appear, apparently randomly, around the screen. The contestants begin to realise that this is their handwriting and it is revealing, anonymously, the dreams that they had previously written down about their culinary future. What appeared were their ambitions, their passions and their visions. Some related to future business ideas, some to family members who’d sowed the seeds in their younger selves, some to personal drivers and points to prove.

“Wow”, said a contestant, “It is a Wall of Dreams”.

The judges then challenged the contestants to create a dish that reflected those dreams.

Inspired, motivated and personally invested in the passion of the task, the results were outstanding.

I’m thinking: What a fantastic idea! Accountants want to inspire themselves, their team and their clients. How cool would it be for accountants to have their ‘Wall of Dreams’!

So here’s my tip:

Create your Wall of Dreams. It could be a physical wall in your office, an onscreen wall in reception, a digital wall on your website…or all three!

Get you, your team and your clients to write down, anonymously, the personal hopes, dreams, goals and drivers. Get them to think about what they dream of achieving and, most importantly, why.

Put it all on display as a permanent source of inspiration for everyone connected with your firm. People will be able to recognise their own and have it as a reminder and point of re-focus. Being able to see all of the others adds a much wider context and will provoke more thoughts and ideas. People will be able to see that it’s not just them; that there not being daft; that they can dream bigger or in a different direction.

There is so much talk today about engaging clients and team members in different conversations and getting them to step up in their thinking and behaviour. Having a Wall of Dreams is like having an incubator in your firm to grow ideas and energy.



Why not give it a go!