Sweat The Small Stuff

BursaSnipers

Publish date: Sat, 16 Mar 2019, 05:37 PM

6 Some of the most costly mistakes occur when we overlook the small stuff. By failing to capture critical details, we make faulty decisions.

In some professions, details determine success. Accountants, for example, cannot afford to glide through their workday without combing through tax forms and supporting documents. They are paid to focus on details and accurately crunch numbers.

How do accountants train themselves to be detail-oriented? It starts with steely concentration and intellectual curiosity. They clear their mind and seek answers to key questions. They synthesize reams of client information and produce tax returns that pass muster.

Of course, accountants make mistakes just like everyone else. But by following these six tips, you’re more apt to do error-free work and catch details that others miss.

1. Put processes to work. If you engage in repetitive tasks, the mundane nature of the work can lead to complacency. Beware of allowing the routine to deaden your mental acuity.

Put processes in place that strengthen your performance and reduce errors. Develop reliable systems, such as quality-control measures or random audits of your output, that help you absorb relevant details.

“In my profession, you’ve got to make sure you have checks and balance in place,” said Mike Sacco, a certified public accountant in Worcester, Mass. “This is my 33rd tax season, and I’ve always been big on paying attention to detail.”

2. Team up. Enlist colleagues to lend a hand. An observant, disciplined co-worker can prove invaluable in providing an extra layer of oversight.

“We use colored pencils to make sure we’ve seen this or that number,” Sacco said. “One of us uses one color, and then the reviewer uses a different color” in going over the same material.

3. Refresh your mind. Even if you have supreme powers of concentration, you may eventually tire of doing meticulous work such as preparing complex tax returns. Pushing yourself to burn the midnight oil can be counterproductive, especially during tax season when accountants face pressing deadlines.

“Sometimes, you’ve got to reboot and look at something with fresh eyes,” Sacco said. “It’s knowing when it’s time to walk away from it and come back later. If you’re rushing (and unwilling to take a break), that’s what causes mistakes.”

4. Set a high bar. Set high expectations for digesting every detail without letting up. Some of the biggest headaches result from momentary inattentiveness.

“An easy mistake in accounting, like transposing a number, can lead to a ripple effect,” Sacco said. One minor mishap can trigger far larger and more intractable problems, so exercise vigilance from the outset.

5. Remove distractions. Sensory overload can limit your attention to detail. If you’re snacking at your desk or glancing at your phone, you can divert your focus from what matters most.

Michael Cecere, a certified public accountant in Canton, Mass., shuts off his phone and email alerts when he needs to concentrate on work. Eliminating potential diversions lessens the odds that your mind will stray from the task at hand.

6. Write and hear. You may think you’re writing a report that’s simple and straightforward, but readers may struggle to understand your main point. Test the clarity of your message by hearing it after you write the first draft.

“When I write memos, I use Microsoft’s ReadAloud (text-tospeech app),” Cecere said. “Having a computer voice read back to you what you wrote, you can tell if the sentence structure is all wrong or it didn’t come together like it did in your head.”

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