Originally published at Humanise the Numbers Podcast . Available here.
February 4, 2025.
Stop thinking that return on investment is what drives the financial performance of your business, and start thinking that return on humanity is the ultimate starting point, the foundation of the success of your accounting firm.
This is the subject of Philippa White’s book, Return on Humanity. In this podcast discussion, Philippa dives into the practical, tangible skills necessary to build a more human firm, and she’s profoundly shifted my thinking around a number of things.
First, the importance of building flexibility into your working model – the way you as an individual work, as well as the way your firm works – plus the need for and power of vulnerability. Simply being curious, perhaps coming from a place of doubt, can establish a greater degree of connectedness between you and your team and you and your clients.
During the podcast, Paul and Philippa discuss her book, and it’s referred to on a number of occasions when she shares her ‘three pillars’, as well as various key stories about the importance of being more human and the effect that this can have on your team, your clients and the success of your firm.
As Philippa states on more than one occasion, it makes perfect sense that when you have a happier team, you have happier clients and therefore a more profitable business.
Paul and Philippa discuss the importance of knowledge, skills and habits and how old habits don’t die, but are wired within you forever – what you need to do is replace them with new habits.
What you achieve in life and business is determined wholly by how you use the 24 hours of every day.
Only when you change your habits (redirect your autopilot) will you achieve the success you seek.
Philippa and Paul mention a number of books in the podcast. Click below to access them.
At the very end of the podcast, Paul asks Philippa if she has heard of Edgar Schein, describing him as a brilliant questioner.
Edgar talks about the 3 Cs in his books:
- Be Curious
- Care (enough)
- Be Committed to help
Here are a few books written by Peter A. Schein and Edgar H. Schein if you want to know more.
