Although nearly every accountant I've ever met refers to themselves as a trusted business advisor, upon closer inspection, they better fit the description of trusted accounting technician; acting more like a scorekeeper than coach. The path from trusted accounting technician to trusted business advisor is a value-adding journey.

I must have a dozen books on my shelf all designed to take the mystery out of something; what to expect with pregnancy, potty training, raising teenagers, home ownership, raising chickens, and so on. All these books have one thing in common; minimizing uncertainty; they help us anticipate and prepare for the unknown.

Having the word "trusted" in front of any title is a good thing, right? However, being a trusted physician doesn't automatically make you a trusted attorney. Just as being a trusted accounting technician doesn't automatically make you a trusted business advisor.