CPA and ordained minister Tamara Sword works to bridge the worlds of finance and faith. With a passion for making a meaningful impact, she serves as both an employee and consultant, guiding churches, non-profits, and businesses towards success. In the latest episode of How I Got Here, Tamara shares the advice she always gives her mentees. Listen using the player below or download wherever you get your podcasts.
“You've got to identify where people are. It's listening to their heart. Are they trying to escape a situation? ‘I want to get out of here because I can't stand this person.’ Or, ‘I've worked on this for a while and we're not making any headway.’ And even in those situations, one of the things that I really look at when I'm hiring or if I'm encouraging someone, what I describe as a three-legged stool. One, can the person do the job? Can I do the job? Do I want the job? And then, does that culture fit for that person or for myself? All of those things are going to be vitally important. Now, none of those mean success. But if you have all three of those, you have the opportunity for success in those things and for longevity. If you don't, you're going to have some real problems in there. And I think it's important that, yes, there are times that we have to push through. There are times that we just need a paycheck because of whatever situation that we're in. But beyond that, we need to look past the paycheck. We need to look at the culture. We need to look at the industry somebody's in, or interested in.
“I was just actually talking to someone in a completely different field. And they said they chose the company they're working in because of the culture that was there, because of the longevity. It may not have been the highest paying deal, but they decided that for my long-term, for their family and for themselves, this was best and it's worked out great for them. And I think that's what we need to look at in all our situations is what is the longevity? What are we really passionate about and how do we fit in that culture?
“And there are questions to ask when you're checking on culture. There are different things, but you can analyze that from where you are today and seeing if it's the right place, the right fit for the longer haul. Or you can also look at that when you are looking at a new opportunity, asking these questions. So, what I want to do, can I do it or can I get the skills to do it? I mean, I can do it today, there are things that we can grow into, but also, is it the right culture? And sometimes we have to know what kind of management do we work best under? What kind of manager are we, if that's the role? What is it that works in that circumstance and how do I want to grow in that?”