Posts by Mary Bennett
Sponsors vs. Mentors? What’s all the Buzz?
I recently received important feedback from a client. John had been serving as a sponsor in a specific Sponsor-Protégé program we launched in his firm He is an owner and leader in a large regional, soon to be national, firm. He spoke about the profound experience of his journey to understanding exactly what sponsorship means.…
Read MoreSponsorship-Barrier to Exit for Talent
Jayne is a woman with ten years of experience in public accounting. She is certified and versatile in multiple areas of practice in which she might contribute now and in the future. She has deep community roots in the major metropolitan area in which she works and she has shown great promise in promoting the…
Read MoreFlexibility Blueprint That Works for the Organization (and the Individual!)
The perfect storm is upon us. Simply stated there is a talent war. Forces are coming together in a way we have never seen before. Some Baby Boomers believe this is similar to all the other talent wars they have seen, but research shows otherwise. 78 Million Baby Boomers retiring with less than 50 Million…
Read MoreUnlikely Source of Career Life Integration
Jayne is a team player. She is very passionate about her work and life. She has many things she wants to be involved in. She can be relied on to take things and run with them. Unfortunately at this stage in her career, as a director, she is seriously considering leaving the organization. She is…
Read MoreThe Concept of Privilege
Recently in working with a group of senior leaders in an accounting firm, one of the baby boomer white males said to me: “I have learned in my journey of understanding regarding diversity in our profession that I was born on third base, yet all my life I have thought I hit a triple”. This…
Read MoreFlexibility- Not Just About Part Time Work Schedules
Flexibility?? …Been there done that? Or that won’t work here…our customers and clients are too demanding? Do these comments sound familiar? Read on to learn how flexibility may not be what you think. Building flexibility into a work culture impacts so much more than your employee’s intention to stay and contribute their very best to the organization. While…
Read MoreThe Myths of Diversity & Inclusion
Every day there is more conversation about diversity and inclusion in the accounting profession. The AICPA formed the National Commission on Diversity and Inclusion[1] to begin looking at ethnic diversity which is only one aspect of diversity. The AICPA has also had a focus on gender diversity for over thirty years which continues with the…
Read MoreRetaining & Developing Diverse Talent
Jane is a minority with ten years of experience in public accounting. She is certified and versatile in the areas of practice in which she might contribute now and in the future. She has deep community roots in the major metropolitan area in which she works and she has shown great promise in promoting the…
Read MoreThe 8 Rules of the Ever Elusive “Work Life Balance”
The seemingly endless conflict over the demands of the profession and steadily increasing desire of men and women to depart from the “baby boomer all-consuming career” is not going to diminish any time soon. The good news is: there are practical steps you can take as an individual and/or an organizational leader to impact this…
Read MoreWant to Accelerate Development of Top Talent?
My last CPACA blog introduced a discussion about the advancement of women. This blog is a continuation and puts the focus on one element from my last post: the lack of access to career development and advocacy. This issue is not very well understood in the industry. It is however one of the most important…
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