The number of articles on short and long-term thinking is painful. For me, individually you need to have a vision and a path to execute your strategy. How do you do this, data? Each day I track the 12 things that are most import to me and of course, they are kept in an Excel schedule and updated each day with graphs. Numerically I have created a system that quantifies my positive/negative utility over time. For example, if I blog I earn a 1 and a 0 when I do not. Over time you can pick up trends. Being an accountant is about picking up trends.
The data available to accountants perfectly positions themselves to pick up on trends. Watch for these signals! It is typically not one signal, rather a barrage of signals that constantly are predicting the future.
The accounts payable processor, billing administrators, and controllers work with financial data all day. They see the trends. Of course, they often do not have all the facts, however, their hunches are validatable. Do not miss these signals. I have witnessed many accountants get lost in the data details and don’t recognize the practicality of the situation. For me, this came with time and experience. I have never positioned myself as being the smartest guy in the room, however, watch the poker faces because the story is being told.
Watch for clues and ask questions, it will get you in the right mindset to lead change and develop better strategies over time. Part of an accountant’s job is to add-value articulating the practicality of the number trends.