Leaders special interview - Rob Brown talks to Kevin Harris, managing partner at top 10 UK accounting firm RSM, on leadership, career development and culture - Accounting Influencers Podcast

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Published on:

11th Dec 2021

Leaders Special Interview: Kevin Harris RSM Managing Partner (Uncut)

In today's Leaders Special interview, Rob Brown talks to Kevin Harris, managing partner at top 10 UK accounting firm RSM, on leadership, career development and culture.

Kevin Harris is the highly driven, passionate and visionary Office Managing Partner of top 10 UK accounting firm RSM. He also chairs the local Enterprise Partnership, responsible for generating economic growth in his region. Alongside these roles, he is a Non-Executive Board member of the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce and was President last year.

Key takeaways from the full uncut interview include:

▶ A fascinating journey from qualifying accounting to top 10 firm managing partner

▶ The mindset difference between most accountants (technical advisors) and their business owner clients (entrepreneurs)

▶ What failing your accounting qualification by 1% or being made redundant can do to your mental resilience and career control

▶ What accountants need to develop if they want more influence and a voice in an accounting firm

▶ The frustrations and difficulties of working in an accounting firm with traditional partner hierarchies and structures

▶ The futility of thinking you can make everybody happy when you lead any kind of professional firm or organisation

▶ Tips for dealing with opposing views and people who want to challenge your leadership or ideas

▶ How to avoid having to play the political game with multiple stakeholders in a professional firm

▶ Striving for personal and work balance in an accounting firm leadership role, especially in a culture where hard work and long hours are expected

▶ The importance of self-awareness, mental resilience and continued learning when leading a professional firm

▶ An example of a big career risk and what can be learned from being courageous in an accounting leadership role

▶ Where drive, motivation and fulfilment come from in leading a large accounting firm

▶ Insights into how accounting firms grow and how many accountants shy away from the growth and entrepreneurial side of running a firm

▶ Whether everyone in an accounting firm should be involved in business development

▶ Why recruitment and retention of top talent is the biggest challenge in any accounting leadership role

▶ The importance of selling a vision in accountancy to attract the right kind of talent and engagement

▶ Advice to upcoming accounting firm leaders to build resilience, associating with the right people and being true to oneself.

Contact Kevin here on LinkedIn.

NOTE TO LISTENERS:

This is a full-length interview (usually 20-30 mins long) from which the highlights show earlier in the week was taken. You can listen to this on a previous episode.

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About the Podcast

Accounting Influencers Podcast
Host Rob Brown shows accounting professionals and leaders how to be more influential, grow their personal brand and be more authoritative, relevant and high profile in their roles..
The Accounting Influencers Podcast, hosted by Rob Brown, is a must-listen for accounting professionals looking to strengthen their leadership presence, stay informed on disruptive forces in accounting and build credibility within their firms. Geared toward firm leaders, managers, partners and influencers, the show covers key topics like career development, influence, personal branding and interpreting the evolving trends impacting the accounting world. Rob brings his expertise to each episode, offering insights and guidance on how to grow your personal brand and stay strategically important in a rapidly changing profession. Whether you're aiming to influence within your firm or expand your reputation outside of it, this international podcast offers practical advice and forward-thinking insights that will keep you informed and prepared for the future.
Accounting leadership
Executive presence for accountants
Building influence in accounting
Accounting industry trends
Personal branding for accountants
Accounting firm strategy
Accounting business models
Leadership in accounting firms
Talent management in accounting
Authority in accounting profession
Career development for accountants
Accounting firm growth strategies
Influencers in accounting
Accounting firm management
Disruptive forces in accounting
Accounting leadership strategies
Accounting career success
Accounting firm decision-makers
Accounting business trends
Building credibility in accounting

About your host

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Rob Brown

Rob Brown hosts the multiple accounting podcast and chair conferences, panels and events globally for the accounting and fintech profession. He is co-founder of Accounting Influencers Roundtable (AIR) which helps vendors, experts and influencers serve the accounting and finance world. He is a dynamic speaker and accomplished expert on trust, reputation, employer brand, talent, career development, succession, gen z/generations, employee advocacy and executive presence. Rob is author of the bestselling book Build Your Reputation (Wiley) and his TEDx talk ‘The Personal Brand of You’ has been viewed 400,000 times on YouTube. He is a stroke survivor, has epilepsy, is a committed Christian and has a black belt in kickboxing. He is based in Nottingham UK, home of Robin Hood, plays chess and backgammon, loves orange chocolate and is allergic to grapefruit.