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Being proud of what you do

18th Jun 2010
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Being an accountant is something to be proud of - not in an egotistical "I passed all those exams" kind of way, but knowing that you make a genuine contribution to the success of your organisation is very satisfying.  This could apply to anyone – remember that motivational anecdote of the NASA cleaner defining his job as “I’m helping put a man on the moon” – but it’s particularly easy for management accountants because they’re such a critical component in all kinds of decision making.

Mind, you do have to think that success for your organisation is a good thing. This used to be pretty simple – arms trade and cigarettes bad, pretty much everything else good.  But what about the food company that promotes its baby milk formula in developing countries to the detriment of breast-feeding; the fashion retailer whose complex supply chain includes a group of Indian girls spending hours at a sewing machine rather than continuing their education; the budget airline encouraging us to fly several times a year?  Whether it is landfill, carbon footprint or the credit crunch, there are issues now which make us think whether all this “productivity” is as worthwhile as we once thought.

It was a relief therefore to meet a group of people doing good for organisations which do nothing but good. I met them way back in February, accountants working in NGOs (non governmental organisations); and I was reminded of them because the research we met to discuss is published today.  

A big issue with NGOs is that field operatives – those at the sharp end of providing education, health services, fresh water or microfinance etc – have tended to regard finance as a constraint.  It’s the function that makes them fill out project proposals, budgets, payment authorisations, all processes which seem antithetical to the independent, inventive and socially conscious types attracted to this kind of work.  Finance needs therefore to convince the front line staff that it is actually an enabling function.  Being able to identify the most effective projects, report their benefits, and confirm that funds are not diverted or misused ensures that funders will continue to support the NGO, financially and politically. 

Convincing the rest of the organisation that you are an enabler, rather than a constraint is a challenge faced by many finance teams.  So I’m flagging this report which discusses how to form bonds and bridges between finance and other parts of the organisation as a source of useful insights even for those outside the NGO sector.
 

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By mobarrie
05th May 2012 22:44

Good Blog

This blog about NGOs has enlightened me.. Many Thanks

 

Mo@ highwoods and associates, accountants in shoreditch, accountants in Old Street

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