A Conversation on Education, Change, and Innovation with Amy Horner, Top 50 Women in Accounting

Many of us know the familiar feeling…

The fear of hurting someone's feelings or the resistance to doing things differently holds many people's back in their careers, and sometimes personal life as well.

In this episode, our guest, Amy C. Horner, CPA, MBA, C-Suite executive, and Strategic Change Ambassador will unpack the topic of change leadership.

Not only that!

This episode spans from far-beyond-things related to accounting, to recruiting Gen Z into professional services, and so much more!

The Evolution of Work Experience for Women

In my conversation with Amy, I got to ask her thoughts on the experiences of women leaders in male-dominated industries and the evolving landscape of diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

While I highlight the common thread I have observed among many women leaders, 

Amy shared her perspective on the challenges faced by women in the workforce... 

emphasizing the need to focus on the people and their talent rather than the metrics of diversity. 

“Instead of really focusing on who are the strongest people to put at this table, let's please stop with the metrics. Let's focus on the people on their talent and not be so worried about adding a seat or giving up a seat. Let's make sure that all of the seats are filled with the strongest people that we can possibly put in them.” -- Amy Horner 

She criticizes the "metric-driven diversity mentality" that treats diversity as a checkbox, rather than considering the strength and capabilities of individuals. 

She emphasizes the importance of genuine connection and collaboration among diverse individuals, rather than relying solely on metrics to drive change. 

Accounting Recruitment Challenges with Gen Z

Amy attributes the difficulty in recruiting Gen Z’ers to accounting's negative reputation of being a “boring career” and lack of exposure in early education.

Many high schools have cut accounting courses as electives, resulting in students not being exposed to accounting until college, if they pursue a business major.

“I can tell you, having seen Intro to Accounting within the last two years out of the local community college, it's not fun.”

Amy acknowledges that the Intro to Accounting course can be challenging and not enjoyable for those who aren't interested in mathematics.

She also mentions the perception of accountants working long hours in dark, windowless rooms, which has created a bias and reputation that is hard to overcome.

The negative programming and reputation associated with accounting make it challenging for the profession to attract Gen Z talent.

However, Amy believes that efforts, such as incorporating accounting into STEM education at an early age and dispelling outdated stereotypes, can help improve recruitment efforts in the future.

Embracing Change: Unveiling the Resistance within Organizations 

As I seek Amy’s perspective into why people fear change, she highlights the impact of early programming: 

“Let's think about any little kid that's on a playground and they're running around, they're having a great time, and what are the adults around them doing? ‘Slow down, you're going to hurt yourself.’ And that programming impacts all of us differently. We've been doing that for decades to little kids, and then they come out and they come into the workforce. And so that translates into being afraid of innovation and change, doing something outside of the way they were taught.”- Amy Horner 

She emphasizes how this upbringing instills a fear of running too hard, trying something new, and failing, leading to resistance towards innovation and change. 

Amy further explains, "The reason they haven't changed it isn't because they haven't thought about how to change it. It's because the person who taught them how to do it is still there, and they don't want to upset that person or hurt their feelings."  

This fear of disrupting established relationships and norms becomes a significant barrier to strategic change within organizations.  

"The fear to change something, the fear to innovate, kills companies. History is littered with them,"---Amy Horner 

Throughout the conversation, Amy underscores the psychological barriers and deep-rooted programming that contribute to change resistance, urging organizations to confront and overcome these obstacles for growth and success.

 

Get to know Amy! 

A high-energy change leader with proven results, Amy brings her well-rounded experience and altruistic nature to help others succeed to work with her each day. Several organizations have sought her expertise in mentorship, change leadership, strategic planning, and effective goal setting. 

Throughout her career, Amy has passionately led collaborative change initiatives and advocated for mentorship programs to complement existing professional development platforms for all. Amy is a dynamic public speaker and tireless networker, both in person and on LinkedIn. 

 

Mentioned and Links 

 LinkedIn, Amy Horner 

Ted Denter Smith | Greg Whiteley | Most Likely to Succeed 

CHIEF, Carolyn Childers and Lindsey Kaplan